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New Perinatal Health Statistics Web Site Launched by March of Dimes
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., November 9, 2001 – How many babies in the U.S. die before their first birthday each year? Does California have a higher rate of women who smoke than other states? How does one county’s rate of early access to prenatal care compare to that of others within a state?
The answers to these questions and more can be found instantly by using PeriStats, a free, interactive Web-based data resource at www.marchofdimes.com, launched today by the March of Dimes.
PeriStats provides access to national, state and county-level statistics related to pregnancy and maternal and infant health for researchers, policy makers, health care providers and the public. Data are available for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. With built-in flexibility, the site allows users to compare state and county rates to other states, U.S. totals, and national objectives for the year 2010.
"PeriStats is a unique resource that combines perinatal data from several sources and brings it all together in a clear, understandable way," said Joann Petrini, director of the March of Dimes Perinatal Center. "With a few clicks of the mouse, users can obtain data to better understand the health needs of women, infants and children in their state and county."
On the site, users can obtain recent statistics on topics such as infant mortality, low birthweight, preterm birth, risk factors, cesarean section rates, and health insurance coverage. Detailed information by race, ethnicity, and maternal age is also available. PeriStats users can select the output format for this information including useful graphs and tables, which can be printed or copied and pasted into reports and presentations.
PeriStats features easy to navigate drop-down menus to request specific data and provides "at a glance" preformatted summaries of each state. The site compiles data from a number of sources, including the National Center for Health Statistics, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and others. The March of Dimes will update this site at least once a year.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. For more information call 1-888-MODIMES.
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