Call to Action

I recently received an email from the March of Dimes...

In the United States today, 1 in 8 babies is born prematurely. More newborns die from premature birth than any other cause. But solutions are within our grasp. Together, we can find the causes of premature birth, ensure moms get health care during pregnancy, and create workplaces that support maternal and infant health.

Act now and let everyone know it’s time to do more to help moms have healthy, full-term babies. November is March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness Month. Sign the Petition for Preemies.

P. S. Want to make an even bigger difference? Please forward this message to family and friends. Tell them you signed the petition and ask them to join you!

What does the petition say?

Petition for Preemies

1. We urge the federal government to increase support for prematurity-related research and data collection as recommended by the Institute of Medicine and the Surgeon General’s Conference on the Prevention of Preterm Birth, to:

(a) identify the causes of premature birth;
(b) test strategies for prevention;
(c) improve the care, treatment and outcomes of preterm infants;
(d) and better define and track the problem of premature birth.

2. We urge federal and state policymakers to expand access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.

3. We call on hospitals and health care professionals to voluntarily assess c-sections and inductions that occur prior to 39 weeks gestation to ensure consistency with professional guidelines.

4. We call on businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health.

I realize that it isn't November yet, but this is a topic near and dear to my heart for many obvious reasons. It never hurts to start early when the cause is important. Our boys were strong enough to make it through those months in the NICU after their premature birth. We were lucky. Our boys survived. Many babies and families are not so lucky.

We lived this, and I think it is important that we do whatever we can to prevent other families from living this, too.

I've signed the petition.

How about you?