(Westborough, MA, NOV. 12, 2008) - The United States is failing hundreds of thousands of its youngest citizens on the day they are born, according to a recent report from the March of Dimes.  Massachusetts falls among a number of states in need of urgent action to reduce their prematurity rates in order to prevent more deaths and disabilities.

In the first of what will be an annual Premature Birth Report Card, the nation received a “D” and not a single state earned an “A,” when the March of Dimes compared actual preterm birth rates to the national Healthy People 2010 objective. The grade of D indicates how far Massachusetts, with a preterm birth rate of 11.3% is from the Healthy People 2010 objective of 7.6 percent of all live births. The statistics cited in this year’s Premature Birth Report Card are based on data reported in 2005.  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has noted that newer data reported in 2006 shows signs of improvement.  Though still higher than the Healthy People 2010 goal, the preterm birth rate fell to 9.0% that year.

The only state to earn a “B” was Vermont. Eight states earned a “C,” 23 states earned a “D including Massachusetts,” and 18 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia got failing grades of “F.”
“It is unacceptable that our nation is failing so many preterm babies,” said Jennifer L. Howse, PhD, president of the March of Dimes. “We are determined to find and implement solutions to prevent preterm birth, based on research, best clinical practices, and improved education for moms.”

In addition to providing state rankings, the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card analyzes contributing factors and prevention opportunities, including rates of late preterm birth, smoking, and uninsured women of child-bearing age. In Massachusetts the rate of late preterm births is 11.3% and the rate of women smoking is 18.7%. However, the rate of uninsured women has dropped dramatically as a result of the recent changes in state law requiring health insurance.

“The Report Card illustrates the importance of ensuring every pregnant woman in Massachusetts has access to health coverage, and it further stresses the
value of smoking prevention and cessation,” John Letcher VP of Human Resources at PerkinElmer and Chairman of the Board said.  “These issues will continue to be March of Dimes advocacy priorities.”

March of Dimes/Preterm Birth Report Card
The Report Card also calls for:
• Expanded federal support for prematurity-related research to uncover the causes of premature birth and lead not only to strategies for prevention, but also improved care and outcomes for preterm infants.
• Hospital leaders to voluntarily review all Cesarean-section births and inductions of labor that occur before 39 weeks gestation, in an effort to reverse America’s rising preterm birth rate.  The review should ensure that all c-sections and inductions meet established professional guidelines.
• Policymakers to improve access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.
• Businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health, such as providing private areas to pump breast milk, access to flextime, and information about how to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.

November 12th marks the nation’s 6th Annual Prematurity Awareness Day, a time when the March of Dimes mobilizes volunteers and parents to draw attention to premature birth (birth before 37 weeks gestation), which affects more than 530,000 babies each year in the United States. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and a major cause of lifelong disability. The preterm birth rate has increased more than 20 percent since 1990 and costs the nation more than $26 billion a year, according to the Institute of Medicine report issued in July 2006. Babies who survive a premature birth face the risk of serious life-long health problems including learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, and other chronic conditions including asthma. Even infants born just a few weeks too soon have a greater risk of breathing problems, feeding difficulties, temperature instability (hypothermia), jaundice and delayed brain development.

In this election year, the March of Dimes invites all Americans to help send a message to our new President and to federal and state lawmakers by signing the 2008 Petition for Preemies at marchofdimes.com/petition.   The purpose of the Petition and the Report Card is to raise public awareness of the growing crisis of preterm birth so elected and appointed officials will commit more resources to address this problem and policymakers will support development of strategies that benefit mothers and babies. The March of Dimes says that in 2009, Report Card grades will reflect state actions taken that have the potential to reduce preterm birth rates in future years.  The Report Card also is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the National Business Group on Health, the American Benefits Council and dozens of other businesses and maternal and infant health organizations. 

About The March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.  Its mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  For the latest resources and information, visit: http://www.marchofdimes.com/ http://www.nacersano.org/