November is Prematurity Awareness Month® and when the March of Dimes focuses the nation’s attention on premature birth. The awareness month kicks off with the release of the Premature Birth Report Card and reports on premature births down to the county. The United States earned a "C". With a grade of "C," the United States as a whole has a long way to go in reducing our preterm birth rate. In the U.S., 1 in 10 babies is born too soon, and the preterm birth rate is higher than that of most high-income countries.
South Dakota earned a "B" grade with a preterm birth rate of 8.5% and Codington County earned a "A" grade with a preterm birth rate of 6.8%.
"The last weeks of pregnancy are crucial to a baby’s health because many vital organs, including the brain and lungs, are still developing," said Sue Dolen, Director of Obstetric Services at Prairie Lakes. "Prairie Lakes prevents preterm births in our region by reducing the numbers of early elective deliveries unless medically indicated. Prairie Lakes follows the recommendations of the College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and American Hospital Association (AHA). There are firm guidelines that prevent physicians from scheduling an elective induction of labor prior to 39 completed weeks of pregnancy. Each birth case is reviewed concurrently and retrospectively with medical staff."