UI Health Care is teaming up with the March of Dimes this month, which is Prematurity Awareness Month, to help improve Iowa’s premature birth rate.

Representatives from both organizations discussed working to reduce the number of late preterm births, which occur between 34 and 36 weeks, on Tuesday at the UI Hospitals and Clinics.

Also on Tuesday, the March of Dimes released the second Premature Birth Report Cards, giving the state of Iowa a “D.” The card scores each state on its premature birth rate.

Iowa’s premature death rate is 11.6 percent, 4 percent above the national “Healthy People 2010” preterm birth rate goal of 7.6 percent.

Iowa has made progress against smoking, which is one of the primary factors contributing to preterm births. Statewide, the rate of women who smoke dropped around 3.3 percent this year.