
Overall Preterm Birth Rates in the United States Increased Last Year — And They Rose for Women of Color
Race and economic status continue to impact birth outcomes for moms and babies
Jan 31, 2023
Feb 21, 2023
Your HealthErica Rimlinger has spent her 25-year career writing for clients ranging from nonprofit organizations to corporations, from magazines to America's Most Wanted. She considers it a privilege to learn and share her client's stories.
When she's not writing, reading or spending time with her family in Towson, MD, she's backpacking in the western United States — while making plenty of noise to scare off the bears.
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Race and economic status continue to impact birth outcomes for moms and babies
Preterm or premature birth means childbirth before the 37th week of pregnancy.
10.5% of babies in the U.S. are born preterm.
Around 384,000 babies were born preterm in 2021
The earlier in pregnancy a baby is born, the more likely they are to have health problems.
Babies born before 34 weeks of pregnancy are most likely to have health problems
Babies born before 34 and 37 weeks of pregnancy are also at increased risk for prematurity-related health problems.
U.S. annual preterm birth rates have increased from 10.1% to 10.5%:
The biggest risks for preterm birth are:
Talk to your healthcare provider about other risk factors, including smoking, drinking and substance use, that might affect you.
Some women have no risk factors and still deliver preterm.
Race impacts risk
Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women are 62% more likely to give birth preterm than white women.
Location impacts risk
Overall, the U.S. received a “D+” grade on the 2022 March of Dimes Report Card , but prematurity varied widely by state:
Preterm babies are at increased risk for long-term health problems , such as:
Prematurity/low birth weight is a leading cause of death for U.S. infants.
Take steps to learn more about preterm birth if you’re pregnant
This resource was created with support from Covis.
Data adapted from the March of Dimes 2022 report card.