Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Our sorry state

Posted in:

Illinois

Premature birth rates and other factors related to maternal and infant health remain “alarming” in the United States, according to the March of Dimes, a nonprofit that supports research, education and advocacy related to those issues. The group Monday released its annual report card, which assigns letter grades to states, counties and large cities, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Illinois received a D+, as did Chicago, where 10.7% and 10.6% of all births in 2018 were premature, or occurred earlier than 37 weeks gestation. The letter grades are assigned based on the organization’s determination of how far rates are from a goal of 8.1% or less. The national average is about 10%, according to the CDC, a rate that after declining from 2007 to 2014 has increased for the last four years.

The March of Dimes report shows that while rates slightly improved over the previous year in Chicago, as well as in some of the collar counties (where they ranged from 9.4% to 10.4%), Illinois’ statewide rate increased from 10.4% in 2017 to 10.7% last year — the highest premature birth rate in 10 years, according to the report. The state is ranked 39th out of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. […]

(P)premature birth rates among African American women in Illinois were 52% higher than all other women in the state.

The report card is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 10:31 am

Comments

Single payer now.

Comment by Quibbler Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 11:48 am
is there a discussion of why? did I miss that? do they survey those who give birth prematurely? it’s likely not just a matter of health care access so survey would be of interest.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 12:14 pm
We had great health care last year but when we had twins last year they only made it to 36 weeks before we had to go into delivery. Don’t think there is anything we could have done differently to prolong it.

Comment by Seats Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 12:25 pm
I am currently at a state quality conference on maternal/fetal health. Illinois surely can do better. need to reduce risk factors, smoking, drinking, drug use…but also manage high blood pressure, diabetes

Comment by windy city ml Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 3:21 pm
Amalia- yes you may have missed it, there is a significant difference in access to care in this state

Comment by windy city ml Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 3:53 pm
No mention of environmental causes. Air pollution, poor water quality (think high nitrates) and other contaminates do cause preterm births and death.

https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/pediatrics/divisions/environmental-pediatrics/research/policy-initiatives/air-pollution-preterm-births and http://tracking.idph.iowa.gov/Environment/Public-Drinking-Water/Public-Water-and-Health/Nitrate-and-Health

Comment by The Jungle Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 4:49 pm
I read Amalia as asking what factors other than access to healthcare would affect the numbers. We know that mothers who smoke, drink, or use drugs have worse outcomes. Multivariate analysis can help sort that out. But you have to ask the right questions.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 4:58 pm
Gee folks, makes sure they are not premature so they can go on to be aborted later. This sorry state.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 5:20 pm
This Tribune piece really is a big fat nothing as it does not concentrate as to the reasons why this situation occurs.

How much of it is poor hospital care, lack of access, personal responsibility?

Comment by OpentoDiscussion Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 5:23 pm
== Gee folks, makes sure they are not premature so they can go on to be aborted later.==

Well, we have a president that wants to reduce standard on air quality, so more miscarriages will occur.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/11/air-pollution-as-bad-as-smoking-in-increasing-risk-of-miscarriage

https://earther.gizmodo.com/air-pollution-is-increasing-for-the-first-time-in-a-dec-1839257516

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Nov 4, 19 @ 8:47 pm