The survey of nearly 2,000 women and men, commissioned by the March of Dimes, found that 65 percent of women and 59 percent of men think that children are born prematurely because their mothers do not take care of themselves during pregnancy.
"In fact, the cause of half of all premature births in the U.S. remains a mystery," says Nancy Green, M.D., study author and March of Dimes medical director.
"Almost three-fourths of the women surveyed thought a mother who delivers prematurely could have done something about it," says lead author Holly A. Massett, Ph.D., of the public relations firm Porter Novelli.
"We are concerned at how common this 'blame the mother' perspective is because, in addition to being unfair to many mothers who deliver pre-term, it can distract all of us from the truth that more research is desperately needed to determine how to prevent premature births," Massett says.
Despite a 27 percent increase in the premature birth rate over the last 20 years, only about one-third of women and men surveyed for the study believe that premature births are a common and serious problem in the United States. Less than 1 percent of survey respondents, however, mentioned premature births as the "single most important issue" affecting pregnant women and infants.
White women were more likely than men and black women to believe that genetic factors or health-related problems beyond a mother's control caused premature births. Black women were more likely than white or Hispanic women to mention lack of prenatal health care as a reason for premature births.
More than 460,000 babies are born prematurely each year. Premature birth rates are higher among black women than white or Hispanic women. Hispanic premature birth rates are higher than the rates for whites are. In keeping with this, the survey found that black and Hispanic women believed premature births are more common and serious than white women and men did.
Most survey participants believed correctly that earlier-term premature babies are more likely to develop lifelong health problems or die soon after birth, and that older and teen mothers are more likely to give birth prematurely, say the researchers.
Massett and colleagues suggest that more news media attention may help correct misperceptions about premature births and boost research and prevention efforts related to the problem.
The survey results are published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Health Behavior News Service: 202-387-2829 or http://www.hbns.org.
Interviews: Contact Beth Rowan, Media Relations, March of Dimes at
914-997-4269.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine: Contact the editorial office at 619-594-7344.
Journal
American Journal of Preventive Medicine