Peristats

The overall rate of preterm infants (live births) in the U.S., in 2003, is around 12.3%, which is about 1 out of every 8 babies. Of that 12.3%, 2% were very preterm and the remaining 10.3% were moderately preterm. In New Mexico, in 2003, 12.7% live births were preterm compared to 10.5% preterm live births in California, which is a 2.2% difference. New Hampshire has the lowest percent of preterm births in the U.S. which is at 9.2%. The state with the highest percentage of preterm births would be Mississippi with 17.9%. There is a 2.4% difference in preterm births between Southern and Northern states with the Southern states leading with 13.7% of preterm live births.

Statistics for 2003, show that 20.5% of women that were of childbearing age were uninsured. Hispanic women between the ages of 14-44 were twice as likely to be uninsured, compared to non-Hispanic white women, at an alarming rate of 39% in 2003. 26% of women under the age of 19 were covered under Medicaid and the Children's Health insurance Plan which had increased from 2002's report of 24% being covered.

In 2003, 49.6% of births were covered under Medicaid, that is a 12.6% difference from total U.S. births. The difference between preterm births, by maternal age, in the U.S. and New Mexico were not very differentiated, the ages when the difference was most apparent was women over 40. The percent difference was only 2.2% with New Mexico being at 18.2%. Overall there was a .5% difference; the U.S. was 12.1% while New Mexico was at 12.6%. The highest rates of preterm births are found in the youngest and oldest mothers in the U.S.

On average in New Mexico, in one week, there are 535 babies born, of those, 68 babies are born preterm, 45 are born low birth weight and 3 babies die before they reach their first birthday. 1 in 4 deaths in New Mexico are due to a birth defect. 1 in 13 babies are born to mothers who received very little or no prenatal care at all. Out of the average 535 babies born that would mean that 41 babies were born to mothers who received little or no prenatal care.

69% of women, in 2002, received early prenatal care, 23.1% received care in the second trimester and 7.9% received care in the last trimester or no care at all. 57.5% of women received adequate prenatal care, 17.9% received intermediate care and 24.6% of women received inadequate care. About 1 in every 4 infants was born to a mother who had inadequate prenatal care.

In 2003 1 in 12 babies was born low birth weight, which is 8.9%. There seems to be a higher tendency of low birth weight babies born to mothers who are younger (40). On average between 2001 and 2003 mothers younger than 20 accounted for 9% of low birth weight babies and mothers over 40 accounted for 12.8% of low birth weight babies. Mothers age 20-29 had the lowest, with 7.6%, rate of delivering a baby who was low birth weight.

Alcohol, drugs and tobacco use during 2003 in New Mexico compared to the U.S. as a whole: In New Mexico, during 2003, 11.8% of women of childbearing age reported binge drinking during the past month compared to 8.3% overall in the U.S. 24.1% of women in New Mexico reported smoking compared to 23.4% overall in the U.S. 10% of men and women, in NEW MEXICO - 12 and older, reported using illicit drugs in the past month compared to 8.3% in the U.S. overall.

There are two types of delivery methods: cesarean and vaginal. In New Mexico, in 2002, 19.1% of live births were delivered c-section and 80.9% vaginal. Of live births done c-section, 11.6% were done to women who have not had a previous c-section which