WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., October 2, 2006 – Government statistics released today show that more than a half million babies were born too soon in 2004, confirming the growing problem of premature birth.

The National Center for Health Statistics released final birth data for 2004 showing that more than 508,000 babies were born prematurely. The report also includes preterm birth rates by state.

“These numbers underscore the need to address premature birth in our country with the same urgency and focus that has been brought to other threats to children's health, including secondhand tobacco smoke and rising rates of obesity,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “The Institute of Medicine report on preterm birth outlined concrete steps we can take to begin to turn the tide and reduce these numbers. We again call on Congress, when they return from recess, to adopt the PREEMIE ACT that will implement many of the IOM's recommendations.”

The Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers Who Deliver Infants Early Act, (S. 707; HR 2861) would authorize expanded federal research and a Surgeon General's Conference to establish a public-private agenda on premature birth.

The preterm birth rate, the percentage of babies born at less than 37 completed weeks gestation, now is 12.5 percent and has increased more than 30 percent since 1981, when the government began tracking premature birth. More than 71% of preterm infants were born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation and are considered “late preterm.”  The NCHS report confirms a March of Dimes finding that those born late preterm are the fastest growing subgroup of premature babies. The data can be found online at www.cdc.gov/nchs.

Many premature babies face risks of lifelong developmental challenges, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, and vision and hearing loss. The IOM estimates that societal cost of prematurity to be $26 billion.

The NCHS report confirmed an increase in the percent of babies born with low birthweight from 7.9 percent in 2003 to 8.1 percent in 2004 and an increase in the percentage of babies delivered by Cesarean section, from 27.5 percent in 2003 to 29.1 percent in 2004.

The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  For more information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org for Spanish.