According to the March of Dimes, Connecticut experienced a drop in its pre-term birth rate, defined as births before 37 weeks of gestation, from 10.1% of all births in the state in 2011 to 9.7% in 2012. The March of Dimes issues a report card for each state as part of its Prematurity Campaign, and gave Connecticut a “B.” The goal of the campaign is to reduce the nation’s pre-term birthrate to 9.6% or lower by 2020. States earn an “A” when they meet this goal.
The country as a whole earned a “C” with a nationwide pre-term birthrate of 11.5%.
Premature birth can lead to a number of negative outcomes including lifetime breathing problems, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities. It is also the leading cause of newborn death. In terms of financial costs, the Institute of Medicine stated in a 2006 report that pre-term births cost the United States $26 billion.
