The rate of premature births declined for the second year in a row in 2008, the first two-year decrease in almost 30 years, the government reported this month. The report, from the National Center for Health Statistics, finds that preterm births (babies born at least three weeks early) declined to 12.3 percent in 2008, from 12.8 percent in 2006 and 12.7 percent in 2007. The decrease held for all races, and for all age groups except mothers older than 40, and the numbers went down nationwide. Rates increased only in Hawaii. 'The rate is still too high,' said the lead author, Joyce Martin, an epidemiologist at the center. 'But the suggestion that the trend is going down is a hopeful sign.' After rising steadily since 1990, the rate among 'late preterm' infants -- those born at 34 to 36 weeks of gestation -- declined to 8.8 percent in 2008 from 9.1 percent in 2006. The percentage of babies delivered earlier eased slightly, to 3.6 percent in 2008 from 3.7 percent in 2006. The rate of cesarean preterm births decreased to 17.1 percent in 2008 from 17.8 percent in 2006. These declines, the report says, are encouraging, but the preterm birth rate in 2008 was still higher than in any year from 1981 to 2002. Moreover, there were still significant differences by race: The preterm birth rate among non-Hispanic black newborns was 17.5 percent, compared with 12.1 percent for Hispanics (who may be of any race) and 11.1 percent for white babies. The reasons for this disparity, Martin said, are not well understood. Dr. Alan Fleischman, the medical director of the March of Dimes, said that 'this is a turning point in the data,' but he had some advice for both mothers and doctors. 'Mothers need to be aware that all pregnancies should go on to 39 weeks at least, unless there is a clear indication of some problem,' he said. 'Mothers shouldn't be asking for early delivery, and doctors shouldn't be scheduling inductions or C-sections before 39 weeks unless there is a medical reason. If this isn't happening, mothers should certainly be asking the doctor why.' 