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Premature births linked to infant mortality
03/Oct/2006: Government researchers in U.S reported that premature births accounted for one-third of infant deaths in 2002, almost twice the earlier estimates, making it the leading cause for infant mortality in United States.
34% of the infant deaths in U.S in the year 2002 were linked to premature births, according to a new study carried out by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which involved reclassification of infant deaths in 2002.
Earlier estimates by the National Centre for Health Statistics indicated that only 17% of the infant deaths were caused by premature births or low birth weights and birth defects were listed as leading causes for infant mortality. However, the new study says that many other causes for infant deaths, like respiratory diseases caused by underdeveloped lungs, should be attributed to premature birth.
Two-third of 28,000 infants who died in 2002, were born prematurely. Premature birth rate has been growing steadily in United States, which is ranked 23rd in infant mortality among the industrialized nations.
Premature births accounted for one-in-eight births in U.S last year, an increase of 30% since 1981, according to a new report released by the Institute of Medicine in July, this year.
Premature births are more likely to occur in older mothers and in those who seek assisted fertility methods for child birth. In spite of the increase in premature births the infant mortality rate in United States, declined sharply during the previous century and it has been relatively stable in the last few years.
Newborn babies weighing less than 0.75kg, with a gestational age of less than 28 weeks, contributed to the rise in U.S infant mortality rate in 2002, according to the CDC study.
Seven babies out of every 1,000, died in their first year of life, in 2002 and this rate dropped to 6.8 babies per 1,000, in 2003. Dr. William Callaghan, the lead author of this study said that the efforts to reduce infant mortality rate should focus on premature births. He added that efforts to safely delay premature births can help in controlling infant mortality rate.
K Siva
Further Reading
http://www.parentingatoz.com/healthy-pregnancy-index.htm
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