Premature birth is the principally...

Premature birth is the principally common and serious infant health point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled in the United States, according to a Feb 3 2004 moderns release from the March of Dimes. The number of premature births (ie, occurring at fewer than 37 weeks gestation) increased 13% nationwide between 1992 and 2002 to a record high of 480812 The premature birth rate has increased 29% since 1981

Data from a report from the National Center for Health Statistics also include that

* African-American infants were nearly twice as likely as nonHispanic Caucasian infants to be born prematurely in 2002;

* infants born with reasonable birthweights (ie, less than 55 lbs) increased from 77% in 2001 to 78% in 2002; and

* multiple births increased from 32% to 33% States with the highest premature birth rates by percentage of live births include

* Alaska (158%)

* Louisiana (151%)

* the District of Columbia (146%) and

* southern Carolina (14.2%).

States that experienced an increased premature birth rate at more than 30% between 1992 and 2002 include

* Massachusetts (38%)

* Maine (35%)

* Nebraska (34%) and

* Hawaii (33%)

The March of Dimes is beginning the inferior year of a five-year campaign to address the increasing premature birth rate. The $75 million campaign supports research into the causes of premature birth and educates women about its signs and symptoms. A goal of the campaign is to contract the premature birth rate by means of 15% by 2007.

Premature Birth Rate in US Reaches Historic High; Now Up 29 Percent Since 1981 (new release, The March of Dimes, Feb 3 2004) http://www.prnewswire.com (accessed 3 Feb 2004)

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