Increased Infant Death Rate Due to Rise in Premature Births

March of Dimes Calls for Surgeon General's Conference and Report on Prematurity

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., JANUARY 24, 2005 -- Commenting on today's new government report explaining the 2001-02 increase in infant mortality, Nancy S. Green, medical director of the March of Dimes, called for a Surgeon General's Conference and a Surgeon General's Report on Prematurity, and issued the following statement:

"The infant mortality rate is an extremely important figure, as it is one of the most accurate measures of the health of society.  This was the first rise in the infant mortality rate since 1958, and it may be a harbinger of worsening health conditions for America's babies.  The infant mortality rate in the United States is worse than that of most other affluent nations.

"Given the persistent increases in low birthweight and preterm births, the 2001-2002 increase in the infant mortality rate dismayed us, but it didn't surprise us.  Specifically, the new report indicates that 61 percent of the increase in the infant morality rate can be attributed to increases in births of the smallest and earliest infants.

"Prematurity (birth before 37 completed weeks gestation) has become a common, serious, and growing problem in the U.S.  Premature births increased 29 percent from 1981 to 2002 and prematurity now affects about 12 percent of all live births.  In 2002, more than 480,000 babies were born prematurely.

"Premature birth is now the number one health risk for America's newborns.  It is the leading cause of death in the first month of life.  Babies who survive often suffer lifelong consequences, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, blindness and hearing loss.

"A Surgeon General's Conference and a Surgeon General's Report would focus much needed attention on the growing problem of prematurity and low birthweight and further explore the needs of women, babies, and their health care providers in the prevention of prematurity."

"Explaining the 2001-02 Infant Mortality Increase: Data From the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set," National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 53, Number 12, from the National Center for Health Statistics, was released today.