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March of Dimes just released its annual premature birth report cards, and the results are not good.
The data show that the preterm birth rate is 9.93 percent in 2017. (Premature births are defined as between 20 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.) Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to death in the first year of life in the US, and the leading cause of death of children under the age of 5 worldwide, March of Dimes points out.
"We're very disturbed by the alarming trend," Stacey D. Stewart, president of March of Dimes, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
It's hard to say what, but there are some theories, Jose Perez, MD, a neonatologist with Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. A big one is maternal age, he says. "Moms are having babies at an older age than before," he points out. "When they are more mature, say in their 40s, the risk of delivering prematurely is higher."
Fathers are also older than they have been in the past, and that plays a role. "New studies suggest that paternal age is linked to preterm delivery and increased complications," Perez says.
At the same time, the rate of pregnancy is going down, which can also be reduced to a number, he says.
Jennifer Wider, MD, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. "Certain racial and ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic regions are at higher risk of preterm birth in the U.S.," Wider says. "Lack of education about a healthy pregnancy and prenatal care, and a lack of understanding about risk factors and behavioral behaviors that can ensure a healthy outcome, is another possible factor."
And finally, maternal conditions like hypertension and preeclampsia (a dangerous pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure) can play a role, Perez says. "We do not have a great handle on these conditions," he says. "If the mom has hypertension or preeclampsia and we can not control it, the likelihood is that she will deliver early."
Currently, March of Dimes is taking steps to help lower the premature birth rate, including doing research into the underlying causes of premature birth, advocating for bills that would help protect women and their health, and launching programs across the country that would help ensure that women have access to medical and emotional support during pregnancy, Stewart says. "Stress and chronic stress can impact women's health and the health of babies," she says.
There are a few things you can do to lower the chances that they will have a premature birth. "Wider says."
Another is to make sure that they are doing well in their pregnancy, Perez says. Finally, having a healthy lifestyle before getting pregnant, and trying to bring back any underlying conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes, under control before conception, are crucial, he says. "Those are just some factors that we can control a little bit," he says.
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