There’s a concerning new statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: premature birth rates are going up. So what’s going on and why the seemingly sudden rise in dangerous premature births? Well, according to experts, it could be a culmination of several things. Veuer’s Tony Spitz has the details.
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00:00There is a concerning new statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
00:04Premature birth rates are on the rise. Their new report indicates that premature births rose by 12%
00:10between 2014 and 2022. So what's going on and why the seemingly sudden rise in dangerous premature
00:16births? Well, according to experts, it could be a culmination of several things. Chair of the
00:21American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee, Manisha
00:26Gandhi told The Hill, quote, We are seeing more patients with obesity, higher risks for hypertension
00:31and preeclampsia, seeing more diabetes. Potentially, some of those risk factors that lead to earlier
00:37delivery could be playing a role. However, higher BMI and its associated complications aren't the
00:42only risk factors. Experts say there are environmental concerns as well. They point to hormone disruptors
00:48like endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs, compounds often found in everyday products.
00:54In fact, recent studies have found that mothers who delivered prematurely often had increased
00:58levels of EDCs in their urine. The CDC's new report also indicates that air pollution is likely also
01:04a factor, suggesting that upwards of 3% of all premature births are due to plastic particulate matter
01:10in the atmosphere.
01:14.