Premature Births has dropped

West Virginia's premature birth rate has dropped nearly 3% since 2006.

March of Dimes officials released numbers Thursday showing that showed a decrease in premature births. However, it also showed that the state's rate is still above average.

West Virginia's pre-term birth rate was 14% in 2006. That decreased to 12.5% in 2013. The national average is 11%.

Officials say a large number of pre-term births in West Virginia are the result of mothers who smoked during their pregnancy.