Ohio gets fourth straight "C" in March of Dimes report card

For the fourth straight year, Ohio has received a "C" grade on the March of Dimes' annual report card on eliminating preterm births (Source: “March of Dimes gives Ohio, U.S. "C" grades - again - for premature birth rate,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Nov. 6, 2014).

According to the March of Dimes report, Ohio's preliminary preterm birth rate in 2013 was 12.1 percent of live births, unchanged from the year before. A birth is considered premature if it occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A pregnancy is considered to be at term at more than 39 weeks gestation.

Although the overall grade for the country once again was a "C" as well, the national preterm birth rate of 11.4 percent is the lowest it has been since 1996. The goal of the March of Dimes - which issued its first report card in 2008 - is to lower the national preterm birth rate to 9.6 percent of all births.