According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics entitled “Births: Preliminary Data for 2010,” the national preterm birth rate declined to under 12% for the first time in almost a decade.  2010 represents the fourth consecutive year that it has declined. The findings are significant for issues of cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, lung development and many others.

The report was released on November 18th, which marked the first-ever World Prematurity Day.  As Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, explained, “As our volunteers and partners across the globe gather on World Prematurity Day to honor the 13 million infants born too soon worldwide, we celebrate the news of this exciting success.”

She continued by saying, “Four consecutive years of declines in our nation’s preterm birth rate is a testament to the combined hard work of researchers, health care professionals, our volunteers, sponsors, donors and others who know that there is no single answer to the problem of premature birth. We are continuing to work together to prevent as many preterm births as possible because we owe our babies a healthy start in life.”

The drop in preterm births is so important because preterm birth results in serious health problems for babies from cerebral palsy and breathing problems to learning disabilities and other issues; it is also a leading cause of newborn death.

The report found that the preterm birth rates have declined significantly in 44 states and the District of Columbia, in comparison to the high from 2006.