Unmarried Childbirths in U.S. Reach Rec...(ird. The report is based on an analy...),Health

The report is based on an analysis of nearly 99 percent of birth records reported to 50 states and the District of Columbia as part of the National Vital Statistics System.

The March of Dimes said it hopes the decline in the rate of preterm births will be the start of a new trend in improved maternal and infant health.

"We're encouraged by this drop in the preterm birth rate and hope that the emphasis we've put on the problem of late preterm birth is beginning to make a difference," president Jennifer L. Howse said in a news release about the statistics. "Through our Prematurity Campaign, we can build on this success and begin to give more babies a healthy start in life."

Preterm birth, the leading cause of newborn death, costs more than $26 billion annually, according to the Institute of Medicine. Preterm babies who survive are at risk for numerous health issues, including mental retardation and breathing problems, the March of Dimes said.

More information

The March of Dimes has more about teen pregnancy.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCES: National Center for Health Statistics, news release, March 18, 2009