National Prematurity Awareness Month

Premature Birth in the United States

In 2014, the premature birth rate in the United States was about 9.6%. The percentage of premature births in the United States has decreased 8% since 2007; however, large differences in risk of preterm birth remain for racial and ethnic groups. In 2014, black infants were about 50% more likely to be born preterm than white, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander infants. Reasons for this difference are an area of intense research.

Risk Factors

Even if a woman does everything "right" during pregnancy, she still can have a premature baby. Some things (called risk factors) can increase the chance that a woman will have a premature baby. There are several risk factors for premature birth, including ones that researchers have not yet identified.

In addition to race/ethnicity, some of the risk factors for preterm birth are—

Previous preterm birth
Being pregnant with more than one baby (twins, triplets, or more)
Problems with the uterus or cervix
Chronic health problems in the mother, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and clotting disorders
Certain infections during pregnancy
Cigarette smoking, alcohol use, or illegal drug use during pregnancy