Birth Outcomes - Preterm Singleton Births
Summary Indicator Report Data View Options
Percentage of Preterm (Less Than 37 Weeks Gestation) Live Singleton Births by County, New Mexico, 2017-2021
Why Is This Important?
Approximately one in ten babies born each year in the United States is born prematurely (<37 weeks gestation). Infants born prematurely, especially those with a low birthweight (LBW), are at an increased risk for neurological problems ranging from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to cerebral palsy or intellectual disabilities compared to infants born at term gestation. Preterm birth is associated with nearly half of all congenital neurological defects, such as gastroschisis (CDC NEPHT Program, 2022). Exposure to PM2.5 and ozone, and to a lesser degree, heat, have been linked with an increased risk of preterm birth (Bekkar et al., 2020). Several other environmental exposures have been implicated as risk factors for premature birth (e.g., persistent organic pesticides, phthalates, metals and metalloids, and endocrine-disrupting compounds) but more evidence is needed to establish causality (CDC NEPHT Program, 2022). In addition, neighborhood-level characteristics such as certain aspects of the built environment also contribute to prematurity (CDC NEPHT Program, 2022). On average between 2018 and 2020, preterm birth rates were highest for Black infants (14.2%), followed by American Indian/Alaska Natives (11.6%), Hispanics (9.8%), Whites (9.2%), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (8.8%) (March of Dimes, 2023).
Definition
Number of preterm (<37 weeks gestation) live singleton births divided by the total number of singleton live births in the same year.
Data Source
Birth Certificate Data, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (BVRHS), Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health.(https://www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/bvrhs/vrp/)
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | Number of preterm (<37 weeks gestation) live singleton births. |
| Denominator: | Total number of singleton live births. |
How Are We Doing?
The percentage of preterm live singleton births has remained fairly constant since 2000, ranging from 7.8% (2010, 2014) to a high of 9.3% (2006). With 8.8% of live singleton births classified as preterm in 2021, this is a slight increase from 2020. Black individuals had the highest percentage of preterm babies at 10.9% compared to 7.7% for Whites.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
In 2020, New Mexico ranked 23rd in the United States for preterm births at 8.5% of live singleton births being <37 weeks gestation. By comparison, Vermont had the lowest at 6.4% and Mississippi the highest at 12.2% (CDC NEPHT Program Data Explorer, 2023).
Other Objectives
CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking, Nationally Consistent Data and Measures (EPHT NCDM)
Footnote References
CDC National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Indicator: Prematurity. https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages CDC National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Data Explorer [Content Area: Reproductive & Birth Outcomes; Indicator: Prematurity; Measure: Perfect of Preterm (<37 Weeks Gestation) Live Singleton Births; Geography Type: National by State; Geography: All States; Time: 2020; Advanced Options: NA] https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/DataExplorer/ Bekkar, B, Pacheco, S, Basu, R, DeNicola, N. Association of Air Pollution and Heat Exposure with Preterm Birth, Low Birth Weight, and Stillbirth in the US: A Systematic Review. JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(6):e208243. Doi:101001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8243 March of Dimes Preterm Birth Data for the United States. https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/data?reg=99&top=3&stop=63&lev=1&slev=1&obj=1