Virginia’s “D” on a premature birth report card has not budged from last year’s grade, but there are some signs of improvement. 
     March of Dimes released a national study today that shows the state and the nation earning D’s for their rates of premature births. Some indicators that drive up prematurity, such as the rate of late preterm babies, those born between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation, did   show improvement in Virginia. The state also moved up in overall national ranking from 24th to 21st.
     “We’re moving in the right direction,” said Sara Long, director of program services for the Virginia chapter of March of Dimes.
     No state earned an A on the report card, and only one – Vermont – received a B. Several surrounding areas fared worse than Virginia. North Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia each received failing grades.
     In Virginia, the prematurity rate on this most recent report card was 12.1 percent in 2007; the nation’s was 12.7 percent. March of Dimes began issuing the report cards last year to raise awareness about the country’s rising rate of premature births. In order to receive an A, a state must have a rate of a 7.6 percent or less.
     One of the bright spots in Virginia’s report card was a drop in the rate of late preterm births, from 8.8 percent to 8.6 percent. Efforts to reduce the number of elective cesarean sections could be a factor.  
     Virginia’s 18.9 percent rate of female smokers and 17.9 percentage of uninsured women of child-bearing age stayed about the same.
     However, Long said a July change in the state health insurance program called FAMIS, or Family Access to Medical Insurance Security, means some 900 more pregnant women will be covered, which could help improve the prematurity rate.
     The March of Dimes Virginia chapter is promoting several programs to lower prematurity rates. “Centering Pregnancy” helps high-risk expectant moms through group education sessions. Eastern Virginia Medical School and the Portsmouth Health Department are jointly conducting   one of those programs. March of Dimes also is funding family-support programs based in neonatal care units, one of which was launched at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in May. 
     Historically, Virginia has had dismal mortality rates, which are closely linked to prematurity levels.  State Health Commissioner Karen Remley has made bringing the rates down one of her top goals.
     Virginia’s most recent numbers were released in August and did show improvements over the previous year, dropping from a 10-year high of 7.7 deaths per 1,000 births in 2007 to 6.7 in 2008.
     Since the March of Dimes study used 2007 figures, there’s hope that next year’s report will reflect those improvements.
     “I think we are on the brink of some things that will tilt us toward a C,” Long said.

Contact Elizabeth Simpson, (757) 446-2635, elizabeth.simpson@ pilotonline.com