March of Dimes released its second annual report card today, the 7th annual Prematurity Awareness Day, when March of Dimes focuses the nation’s attention on the growing problem of premature birth (birth before 37 weeks gestation). The Report Card focuses on three areas – women who are uninsured, women smoking, and the number of late preterm births.

For the second consecutive year, the United States earned only a “D” on the Report Card, demonstrating that more than a half million of our nation’s newborns didn’t get a healthy start. As in 2008, no state earned an “A” and only Vermont received a “B.” 

In Nevada, the rate of late preterm births is 10.7 percent, an increase of .5 percent over the previous year; the rate of women smoking is 19.2 percent, an increase of .4 percent over the previous year; and the rate of uninsured women is 23 percent, an increase of .7 percent over the previous year.

Each year in Nevada, companies spend more than $26 million in pregnancy-related costs, in employee time off, hospital bills and health insurance premiums. Eleven percent of newborns covered by employer health plans are born prematurely. Direct health care costs for premature babies average $46,000, compared to $3,200 for babies born healthy and full term.

In the U.S., more than 540,000 babies are born too soon each year. Preterm birth is a serious health problem that costs the more than $26 billion annually, according to the Institute of Medicine.

It is the leading cause of newborn death and babies who survive an early birth often face the risk of lifetime health challenges, such as breathing problems, mental retardation and others.

“Babies with special needs stay longer in the hospital, therefore parents take more time off work, on average, than those who have had healthy babies,” said Michelle Gorelow, program services director, March of Dimes Nevada Chapter.

“Here in Nevada, we realize that we are lagging behind in preventing premature birth and urgently need to take action prevent more deaths and disabilities,” said Dale Andreason, state director, March of Dimes Nevada Chapter. “We have a long way to go before all babies in America get a healthy start in life and we are committed to working with state health officials, hospitals and health care providers to continue to fight for preemies.”

Andreason said March of Dimes will continue to work with state officials and health care providers to reduce the percentage of women of child-bearing age who smoke; reduce the percent of uninsured women of child-bearing age and lowering the late preterm birth rate, changes that can help lower the preterm birth rate.

 A March of Dimes report released in October found that 13 million babies worldwide were born preterm and more than one million die each year.
Quality improvement programs are key to lowering preterm birth rates, according to March of Dimes.
For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.