The event will conclude with group legislative visits, where volunteers will present legislators with March of Dimes materials advocating for support of maternal and infant issues such as funding for smoking cessation services for pregnant women and protecting Medicaid eligibility and managed care options for pregnant women.

The focus of the March of Dimes Prematurity Summit and Lobby Day is to increase awareness for the rising rate of premature birth—an infant health crisis that affects more than a half a million babies in the United States each year. In Michigan alone, nearly 300 babies are born prematurely each week. Many premature babies do not survive, and thousands face lifelong health consequences such as cerebral palsy, blindness and developmental delays. In half of all cases, there is no known cause for premature birth. To participate in this event, please contact the March of Dimes State Office at 248-359-1577.

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 the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.