|
The March of Dimes Prematurity
Campaign was launched in January 2003 to address this serious, leading obstetrical problem that significantly
impacts all racial and ethnic populations in the U.S. The rate of preterm birth (defined as less than
37 completed weeks gestation) has risen steadily in the U.S., reaching an all time high of 12.5% in
2004, which represents an increase of 14% between 1994 and 2004. This means that, in 2004, about 1 in
8 U. S. babies were born preterm. The chance of being born preterm was much greater for some racial/ethnic
groups, as demonstrated by the statistic that more than 1 in 6 non-Hispanic black infants were born preterm.
While birth defects remain the leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S., prematurity/low birthweight,
is now the leading cause of infant mortality in many states, including Delaware. Prematurity/low birthweight
has been the leading cause of death for black infants for more than a decade. During 2001 - 2003 in Delaware,
preterm birth rates were highest for black infants at 17.9%, followed by Native Americans at 16.5%, Hispanics
at 12.3%, Whites at 12.0% and Asians at 10.0%.
Prematurity is a common, complex disorder and for approximately
half of these early births the cause remains unknown. Other perplexing factors are the profound and persistent
racial and ethnic disparities. One of the two Healthy People 2010 Goals of the March of Dimes is to eliminate
health disparities. Among the objectives is to address the racial and ethnic disparities in all aspects of
perinatal health, including prematurity. There is ongoing research to study and understand the factors that
contribute to disparities in perinatal outcomes. Some areas that have been considered are: infections and inflammation,
clotting abnormalities, effects of stress/racism and socioeconomic status, nutritional factors, and genetic predispositions.
Although none of these factors can fully explain the racial/ethnic disparities, multidisciplinary approaches that
examine the relationship of social and biologic factors may enhance progress to explain the differences in preterm
birth rates and ultimately lead to promising interventions. In 2006, the March of Dimes nationally invested over $29M
in research to determine the answers to this and other such issues.
The March of Dimes has been conducting a host of fun fundraising activities
for more than 60 years. From our Gourmet Gala, to dinner demonstrations, golf tournaments, Blue Jeans for Babies, Red, White
and Blue Days, and WalkAmerica, each one raises money to help the March of Dimes fund vital cutting-edge research.
Non-fundraising projects include our NICU Family Support project, Healthy Mothers/ Healthy Business, and the Advocacy
Network. There are hosts of ways to get involved - Come join the fun and help save babies! Interested in finding out more?
Call us at (302) 225-1020 or visit our website at www.marchofdimes.com/delaware.
|
January 25, 2007
