Missouri ranks 37th in preterm birth rate in 2025 report
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri ranks 37 out of 52, which includes the 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, for preterm birth rate, according to the 2025 March of Dimes report.
Missouri had an 11% preterm rate in 2024, which is the same as in 2023.
St. Louis had the highest preterm birth rate at 12.8%, according to the report. The March of Dimes calls this an "F" rating, although St. Louis did improve from the previous year.
Jackson and St. Charles counties both worsened, standing at a "D" rating, according to the report. Jackson County was at 11.1% and St. Charles County was 10.9%.
Katie Goodlet works in the Boone Health hospital's neonatal intensive care unit as a physical therapist with premature and ill babies.
She said parents have to leave their baby in the NICU, and it can be overwhelming for some.
"You're giving your baby to someone else, and you're trusting somebody else to make the right decisions for your baby," Goodlet said.
A premature baby is born before 37 weeks and hasn't had the time to develop the skills needed to be out of the womb.
"That impacts everything, like how you're developing, because if you're supposed to be nice and tucked and then you're developing out here and gravity's not being your friend, it makes it harder," Goodlet said.
Goodlet said premature babies need help with feeding cues and motor development.
She said this is a stressful, but empowering time for parents.
"The mom's been here all this time, and now they're getting ready to go home," Goodlet said. "They have watched their baby develop outside of the womb, and they're excellent parents."
According to the report, smoking, hypertension, unhealthy weight and diabetes in pregnancy can contribute to a preterm birth.
The report also says paid family leave and mental health checks are crucial to improving maternal and infant health in Missouri; however, the report indicates that the state does not have these policies.
The report also cites Medicaid extension and expansion, doula care reimbursement and maternal mortality review as programs or policies in Missouri that are improving maternal and infant care.
