In an average week, 2,896 babies are born in Ohio. 385 of these babies are born prematurely. 253 weigh less than three and 1/3 pounds. 23 babies will die before they reach their first birthday. Sadly, the rate of preterm birth in Ohio has increased 21 percent over the last decade. Other birth outcomes are not so good either. In 2008, the March of Dimes issued the first state-by-state Premature Birth Report Card. Ohio got a “D” for a prematurity rate of 13 percent. In 2009, Ohio’s prematurity rate increased to 13.2%, and the March of Dimes issued Ohio an “F”. How can we turn that failing grade around and improve our birth outcomes? Listen in to part one of this special two-part edition of Children’s on Quality as I interview some of the leaders of the Ohio Better Birth Outcomes project.
View March of Dimes Perinatal Statistics »
View the 2009 Ohio Better Birth Outcomes (OBBO) Annual Report »
Podcast: Download (16.6MB)
