Preterm births are seeing an uptick across New York and California, highlighting a worrying reversal in what had been years of improvement. A Gothamist report cites a March of Dimes study that indicated New York’s premature birth rate climbed from 8.9% in 2013 to 9.6% in 2023. Dr. Rodney Wright, vice-chair of obstetrics at Montefiore Medical Center, attributed the rise, which particularly affects areas like the Bronx, to chronic health issues such as diabetes and hypertension. The national picture isn’t any more reassuring, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flagging an increase in preterm birth across the U.S. from 9.6% to 10.4% during roughly the same period.