For the third year in a row, the U.S.'s birth rate for premature babies rose, according to an annual report issued by White Plains, N.Y.-based March of Dimes, a national nonprofit for maternal and infant health improvement.
Here are five things to know:
1. In 2017, the national premature birth rate accounted for 9.93 percent of births, up from 9.85 percent in 2016.
2. About 3,000 more babies were born prematurely in 2017 than the year prior, Becky Russell, senior director of applied research and evaluation at March of Dimes, told NPR.
"If you look at the increases since 2014, cumulatively we're talking about 27,000 babies," Ms. Russell told NPR.
3. The states with the highest premature birth rates were located in the South. Lower premature birth rates were seen in the Midwest. Mississippi had the highest premature birth rate (13.6 percent), followed by Louisiana (12.7 percent). Vermont hadthe lowest premature birth rate (7.5 percent).
4. While March of Dimes is not sure what is driving up premature birth rates, social and economic factors likely have a role. Ms. Russell told NPR factors like unequal access to maternal care and high rates of poverty can boost a woman's chance of giving birth prematurely.
5. Race and ethnicity also affect a mother's risk of having a premature baby. The report found African-American women held the highest risk of premature birth among all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. at 13.4 percent. The rate of premature birth among white mothers was 8.9 percent.
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