Newly released data from the revised U.S. birth certificate, 2011

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• The 2003 revision of the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth introduced new data items for enhanced maternal and infant health surveillance.
• Multistate data collection is crucial for understanding variations in health behaviors and outcomes across diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first multistate data release for key items from the revised U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth for 2011.
• To describe variations in prepregnancy body mass index, smoking behaviors, WIC program participation, infertility treatment, delivery payment sources, and maternal morbidities.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive statistics were calculated using 100% of live births in 2011 from 36 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico that adopted the revised birth certificate.
• The reporting area represented 83% of all 2011 U.S. births, though it is not a random sample and results are not generalizable to the entire U.S.

Main Results:

• Prepregnancy obesity prevalence varied significantly, from 18.0% in Utah to 28.6% in South Carolina.
• Hispanic women exhibited lower smoking rates pre-pregnancy and higher cessation rates compared to other groups.
• Younger women (under 20) were more likely to receive WIC benefits than older women (35+).
• Births resulting from infertility treatment ranged from 0.3% to over 3.5%, and Medicaid covered 28.8% to 64.2% of deliveries.

Conclusions:

• The revised birth certificate provides valuable insights into critical maternal health indicators and disparities.
• Significant state-level variations in prepregnancy obesity, smoking, WIC utilization, and delivery payment sources underscore the need for targeted public health interventions.
• These data are essential for monitoring and improving maternal and child health across the United States.