Health Indicator Report of Preterm birth
Preterm birth, birth before 37 weeks gestation, is the leading cause of perinatal death in otherwise normal newborns and is a leading cause of long-term neurological disabilities in children. Infants born preterm bear the biggest burden of infant deaths, with 68% of infant deaths from 2017-2021 born before 37 weeks. Babies born preterm also have increased risks for long-term morbidities and often require intensive care after birth. Healthcare costs and length of hospital stay are higher for premature infants. For a preterm infant, average hospital stays are about 10 times longer than all infants combined. Utah inpatient hospital discharge data (2022) indicate that average hospital charges for a premature infant were $125,128 compared to $16,220 for all deliveries combined. These same data indicate that the average length of stay for a premature infant was 22 days compared to 2 days for all newborn infants.
Notes
2023 U.S. data is provisional.U.S. data prior to 2007 is based on gestational age from last menstrual period (LMP) versus gestation based on the obstetric estimate (OE). U.S. data of gestation based on the OE has been revised back to 2007. Utah data is calculated by OE.
Beginning in 2007, national rates are reported using OE and are not consistent with rates reported before 2007.
Data Sources
- Utah Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
- National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Data Interpretation Issues
Reporting of preterm birth (PTB) trends has been complicated by a change in how gestational age (GA) is reported by the National Center for Health Statistics. PTB is defined as a birth less than 37 weeks gestation. Historically, GA was calculated by the mother's last menstrual period (LMP) and PTB rates were reported this way. Since the 2003 revision of the birth certificate, GA is also reported by obstetric estimate (OE), which is considered more accurate. Beginning in 2007, national rates are reported using OE and are not consistent with rates reported before 2007. Utah rates have been reported using OE since 1996.Definition
The number of live births under 37 weeks gestation divided by the total number of live births over the same time period.Numerator
Number of live born infants born less than 37 weeks gestation.Denominator
Total number of live births.Other Objectives
The Healthy People 2030 has an objective of reducing Preterm Births- MICH-07 with a baseline of 10% (2018) and a goal of 9.4%.How Are We Doing?
The Utah preterm birth rate increased from 8.8% in 1990 to a high of 10.1% in 2005. The rate has remained under 10% from 2006 to the present. The percentage of infants born preterm in Utah was 9.35% in 2023 and 2022, a decrease from 9.88% in 2021.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
The U.S. preterm birth rate was 10.41% in 2023, essentially unchanged from 10.38 in 2022. The percentage of infants born preterm decreased from 2007 (the first year for which national data are available based on the obstetric estimate of gestation) to 2014, and generally increased from 2015 to 2021 when it reached a 15-year maximum of 10.49%. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db507.pdf.The Utah 2022 rate of 9.35% is below the national rate of 10.38% and marginally below the Healthy People 2030 goal of 9.4%.
In 2007, the U.S. began reporting preterm birth rates based on obstetric estimates rather than based on the last menstrual period (LMP) making it difficult to compare Utah to the U.S. farther back than 2007. The obstetric estimate has been shown to more accurately reflect the true gestational age of the infant than LMP.
What Is Being Done?
Approximately half of the preterm births in Utah are due to complications of the pregnancy (multiple births, placental problems, fetal distress, infections) or maternal health factors such as high blood pressure or uterine malformations. The remaining preterm births have unexplained causes. In an effort to reduce the preterm birth rate, emphasis is being placed on maternal preconception health to help women achieve optimal health prior to pregnancy. Some ways women can achieve optimal health include stopping the use of tobacco and alcohol, controlling chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and obtaining an optimal pre-pregnancy weight. Early and continuous prenatal care is encouraged to detect problems that may arise during pregnancy. Education should be provided on the urgent maternal warning signs (https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html) and the importance of recognition and treatment for these symptoms. Standards for assisted reproductive technology should be followed to reduce the frequency of twins or higher-order multiple pregnancies. Pregnant women should also be referred for appropriate services such as Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) and psychosocial counseling.Available Services
Baby Your Baby Hotline: 1-800-826-9662A public resource to answer pregnancy related questions and locate services.
The Maternal and Inftnt Health website: https://mihp.utah.gov/
Public education about how to be at optimal health before, during and after pregnancy.
Utah Tobacco Quit Line: 1-888-567-8788
Utah Women and Newborn Quality Collaborative: https://mihp.utah.gov/uwnqc/
Provider and patient education about improving maternal and neonatal outcomes through collaborative efforts centered on quality improvement methodology and data sharing.
MotherToBaby:
Phone - 1-800-822-2229
Text - 1-855-999-3525
Email - expertinfo@mothertobaby.org
Live Chat- http://www.mothertobaby.org
A service to answer questions about what's safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Social media for MotherToBaby include:
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MotherToBaby
- Twitter: @MotherToBaby
- Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MotherToBaby
Baby Watch Early Intervention Hotline: 1-800-961-4226
Utah's network of services for children, birth to three years of age, with developmental delay or disabilities.
March of Dimes http://www.marchofdimes.org
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marchofdimes
- Twitter: @MarchofDimes
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/marchofdimes
University of Utah Health Care Parent-to-Parent Support Group: 1-801-581-2098
Support Program for families of high risk/critically ill newborns.
Page Content Updated On 10/04/2024,
Published on 10/22/2024
