- Premature birth is a birth before 37 weeks completed gestation.
- The rate of premature birth between 1981 and 2003 increased nearly 30% (9.4% to 12.3%). Currently, prematurity affects 1 in 8 babies with approximately 1,367 premature births a day and nearly 500,000 premature births a year in the United States (March of Dimes, 2006).
- According to the March of Dimes (2006), premature birth is the number one obstetric problem in the nation.
- Of all preterm births, most are a result of spontaneous preterm labor, about 25% are a result from early induction of labor or cesarean delivery due to pregnancy complications or health problems, and in nearly 40% of all cases the doctor is unable to determine a cause (March of Dimes, 2007).
- Racial disparities - African American women had the highest preterm birth rate with (17.5%) followed by Hispanic or Latin women (11.4%), white women (10.5%) , and Asian and Pacific Islander women (10.4%) (Healthy People 2010, 2000). Mattison, Damus, Fiore, Petrini, & Alter (2001), note that the disparities in premature birth rates amongst racial and ethic groups have been narrowing, unfortunately, it is due to an increase in the rates of preterm white infants and not due to a decrease in the other racial/ethnic groups.
- Today, premature infants have an increased chance of survival in large due to the advances of technology and the advancement of the medical community. For example, significant expansion of conventional and high-frequency ventilation therapies has taken place over the past decade improving oxygenation in some infants Cryotherapy and diode indirect laser photocoagulation are new therapies that have reduced visual impairment in infants with severe retinopathy of prematurity (when abnormal blood vessels and scar tissue grow over the retina).There have also been alterations in nutrition and feeding of premature infants, including the use of minimal enteral feeding, increased use of human milk and breastfeeding, and earlier introduction of protein and lipids in parenteral solutions.
- Premature infants are born with underdeveloped organs leaving them at an increased risk for disabilities and health complications.
- Possible outcomes include respiratory, gastrointestinal, hearing, vision, neurological, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive problems as well as, mental retardation and cerebral palsy
- Parents of premature infants have heightened levels of stress compared to those of full term parents.
- Substantial emotional and economic costs in their families and communities.
- According to the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center (2005), hospital charges for 25,000 infant stays with a principal diagnosis of prematurity/low birth weight in 2003 totaled $1.9 billion, with an average per stay charge of $77,000 significantly higher than uncomplicated newborn stay costs of $1,700. The March of Dimes estimated the total national hospital bill for inpatient hospital stays with any diagnosis of prematurity/low birth weight for this same year was $18.1 billion.
