Health Care — Premature births on the rise

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View Online Health Care Health Care The Big Story  Premature births on the rise Newly released federal data has found that preterm births in the U.S. have risen significantly in recent years. Doctors don't yet know what could be contributing to this concerning trend.  © Getty A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the rate of preterm births rose by 12 percent nationally between 2014 and 2022.    Manisha Gandhi, chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee, told The Hill's Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech that several factors could be at play.    "We are seeing more patients with obesity, higher risks for hypertension or preeclampsia … seeing more diabetes," Gandhi said. "Potentially some of those risk factors that lead to earlier delivery could be playing a role."    Environmental factors such as exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals and air pollution may also be contributing to the rise in preterm births.    Leonardo Trasande, head of New York University's Center for Environmental Hazards, noted that microplastic exposure, including from the air, may be involved. A 2016 study estimated about 3 percent of preterm births could be attributed to exposure to particles making up air pollution.    "An increasing amount of those particles actually are from plastics," Trasande told The Hill. "So, there actually is some connection between the older findings and the newer findings."      Preterm births are defined by those that occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy, accounting for roughly 1 in 10 births in the U.S., according to the March of Dimes.     The health effects of premature births on infants are more severe the earlier an infant is born. These can range from developmental delays, asthma or neurological conditions.  Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Afghan population increasingly vulnerable to malnutrition, illness: Human Rights Watch The Human Rights Watch issued a stark report on the health of the Afghan population Monday, warning that the lack of foreign assistance to the country has resulted in more malnutrition and illnesses among Afghans.  Full Story Austin expected to resume duties Tuesday after bladder issue Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to resume his normal duties Tuesday following a procedure at Walter Reed Medical Center to address a bladder issue, the Pentagon announced. 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