Premature birth is the leading cause of serious health problems and death for newborn babies in Ohio. Learn how to help prevent preterm birth.
Pregnancy outcomes
Progesterone and premature birth
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health, infant mortality rates in Ohio:1,2
- Are trending down, but
- Are higher than rates in 80% of the country
In 2018, per 1,000 live births:
- Black babies died at nearly 3 times the rate of white babies
- Infant mortality rates for Black babies and white babies was higher than the national average
The leading causes of infant death in Ohio are prematurity-related conditions, including:
- Preterm births before 37 weeks of pregnancy has been reached
- Low birth weight
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Neonatal hemorrhage
- Congenital anomalies/birth defects
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Progesterone, known as the “hormone of pregnancy”:
- Can help reduce the chances of premature birth for some women
- Is a natural and important hormone because of the role it plays in getting pregnant and carrying the baby to full term
During pregnancy, a woman’s progesterone level rises. Some women may benefit from extra progesterone in a future pregnancy. Her OB-GYN can prescribe progesterone.
Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative (OPQC) Progesterone Project
The Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative (OPQC) Progesterone Project’s goal is to decrease premature births in Ohio before 32 weeks by 10%. It helps:
- Identify women with increased risk early in pregnancy
- Make available progesterone treatment
Learn more about the
We partner with the Ohio Department of Medicaid to make sure every child gets a healthy start.
Sources
- “Infant Mortality Rates by State,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, last accessed January 26, 2023,
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/infant_mortality_rates/infant_mortality.htm - “Infant Vitality,” Ohio Department of Health, last accessed January 26, 2023,
https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/infant-vitality/infant-vitality
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