| November is National Prematurity Awareness Month and the campaign kicks-off in Indiana with the annual March of Dimes Volunteer Leadership Conference and Prematurity Summit being held on Friday and Saturday, November 4-5, 2005 at the Adam's Mark Hotel at the Airport.
The March of Dimes has pledged to work to decrease the rate of preterm birth from 12.1% to 7.6% by 2010, in accordance with the Healthy People 2010 objective. This is the fight led by the volunteers and health professional partners of the March of Dimes. Together we raise money, implement programs and do the hard work of helping every baby have a healthy start in life.
Prematurity is a common, complex, and costly problem in Indiana. Every week 204 babies are born preterm in Indiana. The rate of preterm birth has increased nearly 21% over the last 10 years. In 2003, the March of Dimes initiated a multi-year, $75 million campaign to increase public awareness about this problem. Part of that campaign is Prematurity Awareness Month observed each November.
To get involved and support the fight against prematurity, contact the Indiana Chapter of the March of Dimes at 1-800-844-9255 and visit www.marchofdimes.com/Indiana. |
