ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- March of
Dimes, the nation's leader in mom and baby health, today released
its 2021 Report Card revealing that for the first time in six
years, the U.S. preterm birth rate declined slightly from 10.2% to
10.1%, with the nation keeping it's C- grade. In Mississippi, the preterm birth rate decreased
from 14.6% to 14.2% in 2020, earning the state an F grade on
this year's Report Card. Despite fewer preterm births and a
continued decline in infant deaths nationwide, maternal deaths and
women suffering from severe health complications due to pregnancy
are continuing to rise. More than 700 women in the U.S. die from
pregnancy-related causes each year and over the last 30 years these
deaths have more than doubled.
These statistics are far worse for moms and babies of color, as
deeply entrenched structural racism is directly impacting their
health. In Mississippi,
there is much work to be done as the preterm birth rate among Black
women is 44% higher than the rate of all other women.
The Report Card highlights the stark disparities that
cut across all measures of maternal and infant health and outlines
the policy actions and partnerships needed to improve the health of
our nation's families.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. remained among the
most dangerous developed nations for childbirth. The Report
Card shows the number of preterm births fell in the U.S. from
383,061 to 364,487, but Black and American Indian/Alaska Native
women are still up to 60% more likely to give birth preterm
compared to White women. We see the same disparities trend with
infant death, which has slowly declined over the past several
years. However, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native babies are
still twice as likely as White babies to die before their first
birthdays. Additionally, Black women are three times more likely to
die than their White counterparts are.
The complexity of this crisis is anchored in the fact that it
does not have one root cause, nor a single solution. Factors such
as where a person lives and the structural and societal systems
they live under all impact the health of moms and babies and lead
to a health equity gap. For example, in Mississippi, 13.6% of women receive inadequate
prenatal care during their pregnancy. More research and data
collection are needed to better understand and track changes in
preterm birth rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason,
March of Dimes is working to develop a greater understanding of
late-preterm birth and the data during the pandemic overall.
"While we've seen a small improvement in preterm births and
infant deaths, communities of color are still disproportionately
impacted," said March of Dimes President and CEO Stacey D. Stewart. "We see these same
disparities trend with maternal health and are a result of a
complex web of factors that are fueling this health equity gap. We
know it is possible for every family to have a healthy start and we
must work together to change the course of this crisis to ensure
that they all do."
Present day structures and systems, rooted in racist, biased,
and unfair policies and practices over centuries contribute to and
magnify racial differences in access to resources, social
conditions and opportunities. These policies that have
systematically disadvantaged under-resourced and communities of
color over centuries result in persistent, inequitable poor
maternal and infant health outcomes for communities of color.
In an effort to address these racial disparities and understand
all factors that lead to them, the Report Card features several new
measurements aimed to improve birth outcomes and reduce rates of
maternal death and illness, including:
- The CDC's Social Vulnerability Index shows counties with
populations that have higher levels of vulnerability and therefore
at greater risk of poor health outcomes.
- Midwifery and Doula Care Legislation/Policies: Both of
which can help improve access to care in under-resourced areas,
improve birth outcomes and reduce rates of maternal death and
illness. For example, the Mississippi Report Card shows direct
entry midwives and certified nurse midwives are not to practice in
the state and doulas are not covered by Medicaid.
- Low-risk Cesarean Births: A cesarean birth is considered
low-risk if a single infant is delivered head-first to a mom who is
at least 37 weeks pregnant and has not given birth before. In 2019,
one quarter of births (25.6%) were delivered by cesarean birth that
were considered low-risk. Looking specifically at Mississippi, 30.7% of low-risk births were
delivered via cesarean.
"By looking at the new social vulnerability measure, low-risk
cesarean birth rates, and state adoption of doula and midwifery
legislation, we are providing additional information to help us
identify under-resourced areas and improve access and quality of
care," said March of Dimes Senior Vice President and Interim
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Zsakeba Henderson.
Dr. Henderson noted that even in low-risk women, there are
multiple reasons a cesarean birth would be the safest option for
mom and baby. Variations in practice patterns among hospitals
nationwide may be one of the driving forces behind the overuse of
this procedure.
2021 March of Dimes Preterm Birth Grades
Each year, the March of Dimes releases its Report Card with
grades for individual states, Washington,
D.C., Puerto Rico and top
100 cities. The Report Card shows that overall preterm births
worsened in 13 states, with six states and Puerto Rico earning a failing grade, including
Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South
Carolina, and West
Virginia. Vermont is the
only state to receive an "A" grade.
Additionally, the Report Card looks at the 100 U.S. Cities with
the greatest number of births, assigning a grade based on the
preterm birth rate. The 2021 Report Card reveals Jackson received
an F grade, with a rate of 19.6% for preterm birth.
Actions to Address the Crisis
March of Dimes leads the fight for all moms and babies through
research, education, programs and advocacy. Since its inception,
the organization has worked with a multitude of partners on the
national and local levels to address the biggest threats facing
moms and babies. Towards that end, March is Dimes is rallying
partners to urge policymakers to prioritize the health of our
nation's families. Through our #BlanketChange policy agenda we
focus on all of these policy items mentioned in our Report Card and
the passage of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. Join
the #BlanketChange movement to demand policy makers prioritize our
nation's moms and babies and take immediate action to improve
health by visiting BlanketChange.org.
March of Dimes is working at the national and community-level to
close the health equity gap: Serving as a convener, March of Dimes
mobilizes partners at the national level through the Mom and Baby
Action Network (M-BAN) and currently in nine U.S. communities
through local collective impact initiatives. At both levels, they
leverage Collective Impact, a proven approach of working with
multi-sector stakeholders to solve intricate challenges. Learn more
at IgnitingImpactTogether.org.
To view the Report Card and actions you can take to support moms
and babies, visit marchofdimes.org/ReportCard.
ABOUT MARCH OF DIMES
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms
and babies. For more than 80 years, March of Dimes has helped
millions of babies survive and thrive and is now building on that
legacy to level the playing field for all moms and babies, no
matter their age, socio-economic background or demographics.
Before becoming leaders in maternal and infant health, March
of Dimes was known for conquering the polio epidemic (Historical
footage and photos available). President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal struggle with
polio led to the creation of the National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis, now known as March of Dimes. The organization
pioneered the vaccine research leading to the eradication of polio
in the U.S., and then shifted focus to address some of the
biggest health threats to moms and babies.
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SOURCE March of Dimes Inc.