Join the March of Dimes in Spreading Awareness about Premature Birth
Elizabeth Garza
LMSW
NICU Family Support Specialist, March of Dimes
November is Prematurity Awareness Month. In Texas, 1 in 7 babies (more than 54,000 a year) are born premature. Although there are some identified risk factors of premature birth, the cause is unknown in many cases. Because some babies are delivered before their organs are able to mature, premature birth can have serious and life-long consequences. A premature baby will most likely have a stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to receive specialized care as they continue to develop. More than $26.2 billion dollars is spent in societal cost including medical and education costs, as well as lost productivity of parents in the work force.
In 2000, the March of Dimes launched an initiative to address the escalating rates of premature births in the United States. The March of Dimes is dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. We achieve our mission through community services, education, advocacy and research.
It is important to talk to your doctor about risk factors associated with premature birth so you can know the facts. Preterm labor can happen to any woman. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of these warning signs:
- Contractions that make your belly tighten up like a fist every 10 minutes or more often
- Change in the color of your vaginal discharge or bleeding from your vagina
- The feeling that your baby is pushing down. This is called pelvic pressure
- Low, dull backache
- Cramps that feel like your period
- Belly cramps with or without diarrhea
In 2005, March of Dimes and Seton Family of Hospitals partnered to provide much needed support services to families whose babies are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) at Dell Children’s Medical Center, Seton Medical Center Austin, and University Medical Center Brackenridge. March of Dimes NICU Family Support provides comfort, emotional support and information to families in crisis. Our online community, shareyourstory.org, is a place for families to find comfort and support from others who understand the challenges and uncertainties of the NICU experience.
For more information, please visit the March of Dimes website.