Premature
Campaign
Prematurity is at a crisis state in America. Over
the past 10 years, the rate of premature births has significantly
increased to more than 12 percent – the
highest level in two decades and a 27-percent
increase since 1982. Prematurity is the No. 1 killer of
newborns. Most preemies have less developed
organs than full-term babies, and those who survive
may suffer lifelong consequences, including cerebral
palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease and
vision and hearing loss. They often require immediate
care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which
can cause hospital bills to skyrocket.
In 2002, hospital charges for 22,000 infant stays with
a principal diagnosis of prematurity/low birth weight
totaled $1.7 billion – the average hospital charge was
$79,000 per stay, compared to $1,500 for an uncomplicated
newborn stay. The total national hospital bill for
inpatient hospital stays for premature/low birth weight
newborns in 2002 was estimated at $15.5 billion.
“The financial and emotional toll of the prematurity
crisis is what led March of Dimes to launch its
Prematurity Campaign in 2003,” said Dr. Dianna Burns,
March of Dimes board member and chair of the
Prematurity Campaign. “The goal is educate women
about their risks and to fund research to find ways to
stop premature birth.”
The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign has been
endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and
Neonatal Nurses. For more information visit the March
of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish
Web site, nacersano.org
Prematurity Awareness Month
November is national Prematurity Awareness Month.
The goal is to raise awareness that premature birth is a
serious, common and costly problem. Most people
think this can’t happen to them, but one in seven
babies is born premature, and in nearly half the cases
the cause is unknown.
This message will reverberate across the nation in
November with rallies, expert panel discussions and
tours of neonatal intensive care units. The skylines of
major cities will also take on a new hue, thanks to city
landmarks lit pink and blue on National Prematurity
Awareness Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 13th.
For information about activities in your community
visit www.marchofdimes.com, or call the local
office at (210) 696-1030
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