00:00 There is a concerning new statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
00:04 Premature birth rates are on the rise. Their new report indicates that premature births rose by 12%
00:09 between 2014 and 2022. So what's going on and why the seemingly sudden rise in dangerous premature
00:16 births? Well, according to experts, it could be a culmination of several things. Chair of the
00:21 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee, Manisha
00:26 Gandhi told the Hill quote, "We are seeing more patients with obesity, higher risks for hypertension
00:31 and preeclampsia, seeing more diabetes." Potentially some of those risk factors that lead to earlier
00:37 delivery could be playing a role. However, higher BMI and its associated complications aren't the
00:42 only risk factors. Experts say there are environmental concerns as well. They point to
00:47 hormone disruptors like endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs, compounds often found in
00:53 everyday products. In fact, recent studies have found that mothers who delivered prematurely
00:57 often had increased levels of EDCs in their urine. The CDC's new report also indicates that air
01:03 pollution is likely also a factor, suggesting that upwards of 3% of all premature births
01:08 are due to plastic particulate matter in the atmosphere.
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