Fla. earns failing grade on premature birth prevention
For the second consecutive year, Florida earned a “F” on the second annual March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card.
The March of Dimes released its second annual report card on Tuesday, the seventh Annual Prematurity Awareness Day, when the March of Dimes focuses the nation’s attention on the growing problem of premature birth (birth before 37 weeks gestation). Also 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 the healthy start they deserved. As in 2008, no state earned an “A” and only Vermont received a “B.”
“Here in Florida we realize that we are lagging behind in preventing premature birth, and in fact, our prematurity problem is getting worse. We urgently need to take action prevent more deaths and disabilities,” said John Hadden, March of Dimes Florida Chapter Chair. “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.”
Hadden said the 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 and reduce the percent of uninsured women of child-bearing age and lowering the late preterm birth rate, both changes that can help lower the preterm birth rate.
In Florida, the rate of late preterm births is 9.8 percent the rate of women smoking is 19.8 percent and the rate of uninsured women is 27 percent.
In the US, more than 540,000 babies are born too soon each year. Preterm birth is a serious health problem that costs the United States 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.
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 the March of Dimes. In Florida, the March of Dimes Perinatal Quality Improvement Committee, headed by Dr. John Curran from the University of South Florida, is working on initiatives to help lower preterm birth by addressing issues such as deliveries scheduled before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy.
Dr. Curran stated that, “Literally every week a baby is able to grow within their mother’s belly and not be delivered early, the more the baby’s brain is able to better grow and develop, preventing unnecessary health problems at birth and potential future learning problems.”