Premature Birth Rate Increases For Second Straight Year In U.S.
And Fresno County has the highest preterm birth rate in California.
Stat:
Preterm Births In The U.S. Rise Again, Signaling Worrisome Trend
The preterm birth rate in the U.S. has increased for the second consecutive year, according to a new report, and minorities are suffering a disproportionate share of those births. The increases, which follow nearly a decade of declines, raise concerns that gains made in women’s health care are now slipping, experts say. The annual report on preterm births by the March of Dimes, released Wednesday, found that 9.8 percent of U.S. infants were born preterm in 2016, up from 9.6 percent in 2015. And rates found in some parts of the U.S. are on par with those found in undeveloped countries in Africa and the Middle East. (Ross, 11/1)
Fresno Bee:
Preterm Births Up, Says March Of Dimes
For the second year in a row, Fresno County has the highest preterm birth rate in California, putting infants who are born too soon at increased risk of death before their first birthday or of a lifetime of disabilities. And despite a community effort to prevent and reduce prematurity in Fresno County, the rate increased this year, according to the latest March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card that was released Wednesday. (Anderson, 11/1)