Broadcasters for Babies is today to raise awareness of this epidemic.

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March of Dimes Broadcasters for Babies started in St. Louis seven years ago.  It is the only event that all major St. Louis radio stations cooperate to support. 

·             This year’s Broadcasters for Babies is being held at St. Louis Hilton at the Ballpark in conjunction with March of Dimes annual Prematurity Medical Summit.  Leading doctors, nurses, government officials, business executives, educators, and families affected by preterm birth will help develop a Missouri action plan to combat preterm birth.

·             If you remember nothing else you hear today, please understand that premature birth is an epidemic … in the United States.  In Missouri.  In Illinois. March of Dimes was founded 70 years ago to combat the polio epidemic.  At its worst, polio afflicted 49,000 children a year.  In comparison, about 540,000 babies are born prematurely.  That is eleven times the number of polio victims.

·             Babies need their full nine months … and that means 40 weeks, not 36.

·             In only about half of the cases, do doctors know what caused a mom to go into labor early.  Of the known causes, the clearest way to have a healthy baby is for the mom and anyone around her to stop smoking.

·             In Missouri, about 10,000 babies are born too soon annually. That is one of every eight babies.   In 2007 (the latest figures available), Missouri’s prematurity rate was 12.5 percent.  That is actually down from 13.3 percent in 2005.  The national average is 12.7 percent.  In Illinois, the rate is 13.3 percent (23,000 babies).  In the city of St. Louis, 18 percent (1 in 5 babies) were born too soon.  In St. Louis County, 14.1 percent.  In St. Clair County, Illinois, the rate was 13.6 percent.

·             Preterm birth hits minorities harder. The rate of preterm birth in Missouri is highest for black infants (19.5%), followed by Native Americans (14.0%), Hispanics (12.5%), whites (12.0%) and Asians (11.8%).  The rate of preterm birth in Illinois is highest for black infants (19.1%), followed by Native Americans (15.1%), whites (11.8%), Hispanics (11.8%) and Asians (10.3%).

·             Three factors that contribute to the rate of preterm births are:

ü      The number of uninsured women – Access to health care before and during pregnancy can help identify and manage health conditions that contribute to premature birth.

ü      The number of women smoking – Smoking is the leading known, preventable cause of premature birth.

ü      The number of late preterm births (34-36 weeks) – About 90 percent of the increase in late preterm births nationally in recent years has been attributed to scheduled c‑sections and inductions.

·             Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in the first month of life in the United States. 

·             Babies who survive a premature birth face the risk of serious life-long health problems including learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, and other chronic conditions including asthma. Even infants born just a few weeks too soon have a greater risk of breathing problems, feeding difficulties, hypothermia (temperature instability), jaundice and delayed brain development.

·             Premature birth brings a substantial financial burden to families, their employers, and insurers.  The nationwide cost of preterm birth is $26.2 billion, according to a study by the National Institute of Medicine.

·             March of Dimes invests about $4 million a year in Missouri for medical research, community service, education, and advocacy.

·             For more information, log on to marchofdimes.com/missouri.