Oklahoma’s preterm birth rate in 2017 rose from 10.6 to 11.1 percent and the state remained at a “D” grade, according to the 2018 Premature Birth Report Card from March of Dimes, a maternal and infant health nonprofit.

For the third year in a row, more U.S. babies were born too soon with serious risks to their health. Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributor to death in the first year of life in the United States, and the leading cause of death in children under age 5 worldwide.

In Oklahoma, the rates of babies that are born too soon (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) vary across population, with racial disparities and access to care a leading factor in preterm births. The preterm birth rate in Oklahoma among African American women (13.1 percent) is 39 percent higher than the rate among all other women.

The overall U.S. preterm birth rate rose to 9.93 percent of births in 2017 from 9.85 percent in 2016, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).  While there is no single cause of preterm birth, research shows that access to quality health care does have a negative impact on these rates. Women of color are up to 50 percent more likely to deliver prematurely and their children can face a 130 percent higher infant death rate compared to white women. A recent March of Dimes report revealed the unequal access to maternity care across the United States, particularly in communities with higher poverty rates.

The continued rise in its preterm birth rate earned the United States a “C” grade on the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card, which grades all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico on their preterm birth rate. This year, 30 states had a worse rate compared to last year and 10 of those states received a worse grade. The Report Card shows the racial, ethnic and geographic disparities in preterm birth within each state.

“It will take us all working together to create solutions and reverse these alarming trends,” said director Belinda Rogers, March of Dimes Child Health and Government Affairs. “It begins with ensuring every baby has the healthiest possible start in life, regardless of racial and ethnic background or their family’s income. By expanding proven programs and innovative solutions we can to lower the preterm birth rate and improve birth equity.”

The March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card

• 1 state –Vermont– earned an “A” on the 2018 Premature Birth Report Card;
• 15 states received a “B”
• 16 states got a “C”;
• 14 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia got a “D”;
• 4 states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia) received an “F.”

Among the 100 largest U.S. cities, based on the number of births in 2016, Oklahoma City and Tulsa  were among the cities on the list, with rates of preterm birth at 11.1 and 11.5 percent respectively.