March of Dimes, the nation’s leader in mom and baby health, today released its 2021 Report Card revealing that for the first time in six years, the U.S. preterm birth rate declined slightly from 10.2% to 10.1%, with the nation keeping it’s C- grade. In North Carolina, the preterm birth rate increased from 10.7% to 10.8% in 2020, earning the state a D grade on this year’s Report Card. Despite fewer preterm births and a continued decline in infant deaths nationwide, maternal deaths and women suffering from severe health complications due to pregnancy are continuing to rise. More than 700 women in the U.S. die from pregnancy-related causes each year and over the last 30 years these deaths have more than doubled.
