Preterm Birth

Preterm Birth:

Preterm birth is defined as a baby who is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. In 2006, the infant mortality rate in the United States due to prematurity/low birth weight accounted for 17 percent of all infant deaths (M.Bitler & Currie, 2011). It is not only problematic emotionally for the family involved; it is also problematic financially for both the family and the economy. According to the March of Dimes, in 2009 the average medical costs for a preterm baby was more than 10 times higher than when a woman had a healthy full-term infant (Peristats - March of Dimes, 2009).The average costs were $49,033 and $4,551 respectively (Healthy People 2020).The more risk factors that are identified the more it will allow public health and individuals to focus on specific interventions that will help prevent the occurrence of preterm birth, which is problematic for both families as well as our health care system (Ratzon, 2010).

Health People 2020: Maternal, Infant and child health

Healthy People 2020 objectives related to the indicators are Maternal, Infant, and Child health (MIC) 9.1-9.4 which addresses reducing preterm births. MIC 9.1 focuses on reducing total preterm births. The baseline is 12.7 percent and the target is 11.4 percent. MIC 9.2 pertains to reducing late preterm or live births at 34 to 36 weeks of gestation. The baseline is 9 percent and the target is 8.1 percent. MIC 9.3 relates to reducing live births at 32 to 33 weeks of gestation. The baseline is 1.6 percent and the target is 1.4 percent. Lastly, MIC 9.4 addresses preterm or live births at less than 32 weeks of gestation. The baseline is 2 percent and the target is 1.8 percent ( Ohio Department of Health).

Preterm Birth Statistics:

Using CDC vita...

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...n of a first or subsequent pregnancy. Most relative to our community and the preterm birth indicator: 1) integrate reproductive health messages into health promotion campaigns, 2) increase health provider awareness regarding the importance of addressing preconception health among all women of childbearing age, 3) develop and implement modules on preconception care for specific clinical conditions for use in clinical education at graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education levels, 4) develop, evaluate, and replicate intensive evidence-based inter-conception care and care coordination models for women at high social and medical risk, and 5) increase health coverage among women who have low incomes and are of childbearing age by using federal options and waivers under public and private health insurance systems and the state children’s health insurance program.