Preterm Births in Tulsa County

Preterm Births

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Source:
Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) - OK2SHARE
Update Period:
Annually
Created:
Apr. 21, 2025
Last Updated:
Jan. 01, 2023
Categories:
Health

Related Statistics

About

This metric shows births that occur before 37 completed weeks of gestation. This statistic is presented as a percentage of all live births to Tulsa County mothers, reported by single calendar years. Preterm birth is a significant public health concern as it is a leading cause of infant mortality and contributes to long-term health challenges, including an increased risk of illness and disability throughout life. Factors such as maternal age, race, socioeconomic status, infections, previous preterm births, multiple pregnancies, and lifestyle choices like tobacco or alcohol use can increase the likelihood of a preterm delivery. Monitoring the prevalence of preterm births helps identify at-risk populations and can inform targeted interventions to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Total births at the ZIP code level were calculated by the Tulsa Health Department (THD) using raw data files from the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Center for Health Statistics, Health Care Information. For county-level data, an alternate source is the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Center for Health Statistics, Health Care Information, accessed via Oklahoma Statistics on Health Available for Everyone (OK2SHARE) at http://www.health.ok.gov/ok2share.

Initiatives

Targeting Change

Maternal Child Health Outreach
Tulsa Health Department
The Maternal Child Health Outreach program works to identify and address individual maternal and child health issues, needs and barriers with a focus on improved birth outcomes. Expecting mothers, young children and their families receive assistance from outreach and social workers. Spanish, English and Burmese/Zomi speaking staff are available to provide services at three locations (James O. Goodwin Health Center, Central Regional Health Center and the North Regional Health & Wellness Center) or various community based partnerships. Services include: * SoonerCare/Medicaid enrollment assistance * Links to other services both internal at the Tulsa Health Department and external in the community * Referrals to basic needs (food, shelter and clothing) * Depression screenings * Warm hand-offs to mental health treatment, case management and to other appropriate resources as needed * Educational messages including safe sleep, birth spacing and reproductive life planning In addition, the team also includes community system development specialists to raise public awareness about infant mortality on a system level and develop and implement prevention strategies to address local causes of infant death in the Tulsa Community. For more information, please contact: Kathy Kleine Crabtree: 918-594-4766, kkleine@tulsa-health.org