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QuickStats: Percentage of Preterm Births* --- United States and Selected European Countries, 2004

The figure shows the percentage of preterm births in the United States and selected European countries in 2004. Compared with 18 European countries, the United States had the highest percentage of preterm births (12.4%) in 2004. Except for Austria (11.4%), the other countries had levels of 8.9% or less. Ireland had the lowest percentage (5.5%), followed by Finland (5.6%) and Greece (6.0%), each less than half the U.S. percentage. Because preterm babies are at greater risk for death than term babies, countries with a higher percentage of preterm births tend to have higher infant mortality rates.

* Excludes births at <22 weeks of gestation to promote comparability between countries. Preterm births are those from 22 to 36 weeks of gestation.

Compared with 18 European countries, the United States had the highest percentage of preterm births (12.4%) in 2004. Except for Austria (11.4%), the other countries had levels of 8.9% or less. Ireland had the lowest percentage (5.5%), followed by Finland (5.6%) and Greece (6.0%), each less than half the U.S. percentage. Because preterm infants are at greater risk for death than term infants, countries with a higher percentage of preterm births tend to have higher infant mortality rates.

SOURCE: MacDorman MF, Mathews TJ. Behind international rankings of infant mortality: How the United States compares with Europe. NCHS data brief, no 23. Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2009. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db23.pdf.

Alternative Text: The figure above shows the percentage of preterm births in the United States and selected European countries in 2004. Compared with 18 European countries, the United States had the highest percentage of preterm births (12.4%) in 2004. Except for Austria (11.4%), the other countries had levels of 8.9% or less. Ireland had the lowest percentage (5.5%), followed by Finland (5.6%) and Greece (6.0%), each less than half the U.S. percentage. Because preterm babies are at greater risk for death than term babies, countries with a higher percentage of preterm births tend to have higher infant mortality rates.

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Date last reviewed: 12/23/2009