ATLANTA, GA – October 3, 2005 – Prematurity has been escalating steadily and alarmingly over the past two decades. Between 1981 and 2002, the rate of premature births rose from 9.4 to 12.1 percent, an increase of more than 29 percent.  In fact, in the state of Georgia, every week 323 babies arrive too soon.  These babies face an increased risk of death and serious medical complications.  In an effort to raise awareness of this growing problem, The March of Dimes Georgia Chapter will be hosting its annual Prematurity Summit, lighting the BellSouth Center in downtown Atlanta pink and blue, and hosting a Prevent Prematurity Rally surrounding Prematurity Awareness Month in November.

MARCH OF DIMES ANNUAL PREMATURITY SUMMIT –October 26

Kicking off Prematurity Awareness Month on Wednesday, Oct. 26,  the March of Dimes Georgia Chapter is offering a one day summit entitled Solving the Prematurity Puzzle that will educate participants about the problem of premature birth and how they can be a part of the solution.  The summit will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005, from 8am to 4pm.  Participants will include lobbyists, legislators, public health officials, public relations and marketing professionals, insurance company representatives, parents, business leaders and health care providers. 

Summit sponsors include Georgia Department of Human Resources, WSB-TV, Matria Healthcare, Northside Hospital, Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, Inc., and MedImmune.

BELLSOUTH CENTER LIGHTING IN PINK AND BLUE – November 1 - 30

Downtown Atlanta’s BellSouth Center will be lit in pink and blue throughout the month of November in observance of National and Georgia Prematurity Awareness Month.  The 47-story building has been part of the Atlanta skyline since 1981 and this lighting is part of a BellSouth partnership with the March of Dimes Georgia Chapter to bring awareness to the growing problem of prematurity throughout the state. 

This lighting is also a part of a national March of Dimes initiative with pink and blue landmark lightings throughout the country during the month of November. Other lightings include: Niagara Falls; Bank of America Tower - downtown Miami;  High Falls – Rochester, New York; Qwest Field – Seattle; Kaiser Building – Portland, Maine; and many more.

PREVENT PREMATURITY RALLY - November 14

To bring attention to the growing problem of premature birth, a crowd of parents and supporters will come together for the March of Dimes Prevent Prematurity Rally at the Bellsouth Center Plaza located at 675 West Peachtree Street on Monday, November 14, the eve of National Prematurity Awareness Day. The program will begin at 6:30pm.  Whether you are child who was born prematurely, a family member or a supporter, please join us as we demonstrate the vast number of Georgians affected by prematurity.

Premature birth is the leading cause of death within the first month of life and the second leading cause of death within the first year.  Every year more than 470,000 infants are born prematurely, and prematurity is on the rise.  It now affects one out of every eight babies born in the United States.

In 2003, the March of Dimes launched its Prematurity Campaign, a five-year, $75 million research, awareness and education campaign to help families have healthier babies. The campaign includes: funding research to find the causes of premature birth, educating families about the warning signs of premature labor and what can be done to prevent it, providing support to families of babies in the NICU, expanding access to health care coverage so that more women can get prenatal care, helping health care providers learn ways to help reduce the risk of early delivery, and advocating for access to insurance to improve maternity care and infant health outcomes.

ABOUT THE MARCH OF DIMES

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit www.marchofdimes.com/georgia.

Media Contact:            Brittney Gray, Director of Communications,404-350-9800 ext. 224 or bgray@marchofdimes.com

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