Health And Wellbeing
Preterm Births
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Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

What does this measure?

The percentage of babies born four weeks before the mother's due date, out of all live births. This means the gestational age of the baby is less than 37 weeks.

Why is this important?

Preterm babies have a higher prevalence of four major disabilities (cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, vision impairment and hearing loss), all of which require special education services. In addition, preterm babies are at greater risk for lower cognitive scores and behavioral problems, and care is expensive. Premature births are sometimes associated with maternal smoking, alcohol or drug use, depression or experiencing abuse.

How is our county performing?

In 2021, 10% of Worcester County births were preterm, similar to the state rate of 9% and slightly lower than the national rate of 12%. Rates have remained fairly steady in Worcester County since 2015, ranging between 8-10%.

Notes about the data

The proportion is calculated out of all live births, except those for which gestational age is unknown.

Preterm Births
2012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Worcester County9%8%8%9%9%9%10%
Athol10%7%9%10%7%11%8%
Clinton14%10%9%10%6%11%12%
Fitchburg9%8%8%9%9%10%10%
Gardner7%4%6%4%8%12%11%
Northbridge10%9%5%14%8%6%14%
Southbridge12%8%6%11%11%9%11%
Spencer9%12%9%10%14%12%16%
Webster9%6%8%11%9%11%12%
Westborough10%7%15%8%6%4%4%
Worcester11%9%9%10%10%11%10%
Massachusetts9%9%9%8%9%9%9%9%9%9%
Additional Worcester County localities
Auburn12%6%6%7%7%7%10%
Blackstone8%7%11%7%10%9%
Bolton11%12%6%4%
Dudley9%7%10%8%11%10%3%
Grafton9%7%12%9%9%7%9%
Holden6%4%10%7%10%6%8%
Lancaster13%8%0%11%11%11%
Leicester8%5%12%9%11%8%19%
Lunenburg9%10%12%11%5%
Milford10%8%9%10%8%9%8%
Millbury10%5%8%10%11%7%9%
Millville17%0%0%9%
Northborough12%12%11%7%4%9%7%
Oxford12%9%10%15%15%8%
Phillipston0%0%0%33%17%
Royalston0%0%0%0%23%0%
Rutland8%6%7%9%13%7%14%
Shrewsbury8%11%6%11%6%5%9%
Southborough13%7%6%6%6%
Sterling9%20%0%6%5%
Sturbridge11%11%9%8%7%4%8%
Upton10%6%13%8%4%
Uxbridge6%12%10%9%8%10%10%
Westminster8%11%10%12%13%10%
Leominster7%8%8%8%6%10%11%
Charlton8%7%9%8%9%11%
Hopedale11%12%16%7%8%
Mendon17%15%9%12%12%
New Braintree0%0%0%0%0%
Paxton17%12%9%8%
Petersham0%0%0%0%33%50%
Princeton0%0%12%0%
Templeton20%10%8%9%9%
West Brookfield22%0%0%0%16%9%
Winchendon5%9%5%14%3%5%
Berlin0%0%8%
North Brookfield10%19%11%8%
Oakham0%0%25%16%
Sutton8%7%8%7%15%
Ashburnham0%6%5%
Barre12%11%16%
Boylston14%0%14%
Douglas8%5%4%
West Boylston14%9%
Brookfield16%13%
East Brookfield19%17%
Hardwick18%0%
Harvard8%8%
Hubbardston7%8%
Warren10%6%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Notes: Preterm is less than 37 weeks of pregnancy.




Number of Preterm Births
2012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Worcester County799705696715768740814
Athol11911128139
Clinton25191416101821
Fitchburg45463940414750
Gardner17101310192424
Northbridge211482011923
Southbridge28171225231823
Spencer1115911151118
Webster17111418192024
Westborough241537161299
Worcester255206215223246244222
Massachusetts6,2696,3156,1776,0026,1686,2726,1726,1965,8116,176
Additional Worcester County localities
Auburn169911111016
Blackstone859697
Bolton5633
Dudley86881193
Grafton19142318171219
Holden1172011181017
Lancaster750669
Leicester8611810617
Lunenburg81113116
Milford36273435293330
Millbury127101212911
Millville6003
Northborough16171495139
Oxford131110181311
Phillipston00033
Royalston000030
Rutland655811611
Shrewsbury25372035201330
Southborough127656
Sterling59033
Sturbridge111086536
Upton551153
Uxbridge816131191514
Westminster5771099
Leominster32383538274450
Charlton1081181014
Hopedale78933
Mendon85567
New Braintree00000
Paxton8533
Petersham000033
Princeton0030
Templeton147667
West Brookfield500063
Winchendon61051035
Berlin003
North Brookfield5853
Oakham0033
Sutton666513
Ashburnham033
Barre669
Boylston606
Douglas733
West Boylston116
Brookfield33
East Brookfield33
Hardwick30
Harvard33
Hubbardston33
Warren33

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Notes: Preterm is less than 37 weeks of pregnancy. Due to small numbers (n=1-4), exact count not provided.







INDICATORS TREND
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments 1
Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution 0
Maintaining
Households With Internet Access 1
Increasing
Protected Land 10 Not Applicable*
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 0
Maintaining
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
Population by Age -1
Decreasing
Households by Type 0
Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income 0
Maintaining
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
80/20 Income Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Age 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance 0
Maintaining
Households Without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Employer Size 1
Increasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Self-Employment Revenue 0
Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County for Work 1
Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Preterm Births 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels -1
Decreasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma 1
Increasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Cancer Incidence 0
Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence -1
Decreasing
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions 1
Increasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate 1
Increasing
Children Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing





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