“Sadly, in more than half the cases, it isn’t known why prematurity occurs,” says Nadia Shamsuddin, program director of the March of Dimes Colorado chapter. “But we do know that there are steps a woman can take to try and avoid a premature birth.”

For a full nine months of pregnancy, the March of Dimes recommends that women work with their health providers to answer nine key questions:

1. How can certain conditions (like diabetes, high blood pressure or infections) affect my pregnancy?
2. How can certain medications (whether prescription or over-the-counter) affect my pregnancy?
3. How does taking a daily multivitamin with folic acid (especially before pregnancy) help me have a healthy baby?
4. What is my ideal pregnancy weight?
5. How can I stay away from cigarettes, alcohol and illegal drugs?
6. How can I manage the stress in my life?
7. How long should I wait between pregnancies?
8. What if premature birth runs in my family?
9. What are the signs of preterm labor and how should I respond to them?

Prematurity is when a baby is born three or more weeks early. Many have called it the nation’s number-one infant-health problem. The leading cause of newborn death and many lifelong disabilities, prematurity is estimated to cost the nation’s healthcare system $16 billion a year. Premature birth is also increasing. In 2003 (the most current statistical year), one in eight Colorado babies was born ahead of schedule. In 1993, the number was one out of ten.

The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign is a special initiative aimed at decreasing the rate of premature birth and raising awareness of the problem. To help achieve the latter goal, the organization hosts Prematurity Awareness Month in November. Information about Prematurity Awareness Month activities in Colorado may be found at http://www.marchofdimes.com/colorado.

Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. To achieve its mission, the March of Dimes funds research, education, community services and advocacy. Currently in Colorado, the March of Dimes funds nearly $1.4 million in healthy-baby programs.