AP: Expert Panel Says Premature Births in US are Up

A report by the Insitute of Medicine–an arm of the National Academy of Sciences–says the rate of premature births in the US is up 30 percent in just 25 years. It is now one in eight babies. The full explanation appears unclear. One changing factor, the report says, is the use of fertility treatments and the multiple births that often result. But poverty, uneven access to health care, drug use, and the rising age at which women have babies may be involved. The report, “Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention,” is a 570-page book. While such studies are usually reviews of literature, not the result of fresh research, they can bring considerable new weight to issues. Most of the press reports are of modest length, rich in stats and a few quotes. AP’s Lauran Neergaard has one of its authors lamenting that happy stories in the media of tiny preemies who survive give a widespread, false sense that modern medicine has conquered the perils of premature birth. Newsweek’s Karen Springen covers it online with an extensive Q&A with the NIM committee chairman.

Bits and Pieces from coverage — Medicine is having unprecedented success at saving lives of very small and premature babies. But even a few weeks prematurity, defined as any birth within 37 weeks of conception, can still bring developmental delays and other problems. Costs to the nation are about $26 billion yearly. Even at normal weight, prematurity brings hazards, it says here. Economic and social factors play strong roles. Black mothers have twice the rate of low birth weight babies than do white mothers. Twins have a 40 percent higher change of prematurity, triplets even more, and so on. Among measures that might corral the rate, the report suggests, are stronger guidelines for fertility treatments to limit the number of embryos implanted per procedure, plus general public health education measures and increased research into the full suite of causes of early birth.

Stories:

AP Lauran Neergaard; Reuters Maggie Fox; Los Angeles Times Thomas H. Maugh II; San Jose Mercury News Barbara Feder Ostrov, Kendra Marr; Detroit News Kimberly Hayes Taylor; Chicago Tribune Frank D. Roylance; Kansas City Star Alan Bavley; Deseret Morning News Lois M. Collins; Newsweek (online update) Karen Springen; Salt Lake Tribune Ronnie Lynn; Detroit Free Press Patricia Anstett; Kansas City Star Alan Bavley; Wall Street Journal (subscription) Jane Zhang;

Grist for the Mill: March of Dimes Press Release; NIM Press Release;