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March of Dimes Endorses St. Louis County Smoking Ban
26-Oct-09 |
Brentwood, MO October 26, 2009 – March of Dimes endorses the St. Louis County ballot measure Proposition N, which goes before the voters Nov. 3.
In an average year 12,000 babies are born in St. Louis County and of those, 1,700 are born too soon and more than 1,000 are born low birth weight, Deborah Kersting, executive director of the Greater Missouri March of Dimes, noted. “A smoke-free ordinance would be a great start to improve the health of pregnant mothers and their babies in the county,” Kersting said.
Babies who are exposed to smoke suffer from more lower-respiratory illnesses (such as bronchitis and pneumonia) and ear infections than do other babies. Babies who are exposed to their parents' smoke after birth also may face an increased risk of asthma and SIDS. Smoking nearly doubles a woman's risk of having a low-birthweight baby. In Missouri in 2007, 27.4 percent of women of childbearing age (18-44 years) reported smoking, compared with 21.2 percent of women nationwide. Smoking has long been known to slow fetal growth. Smoking also increases the risk of preterm delivery (before 37 weeks of gestation). Premature and low-birthweight babies face an increased risk of serious health problems during the newborn period, chronic lifelong disabilities (such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation and learning problems), and even death. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and 103 infants in St. Louis County died in 2005 before reaching their first birthday. Premature birth is an epidemic and March of Dimes is actively working on advocacy issues, education and research that will prevent it from happening.
March of Dimes supports smoking bans in public buildings as a basic step towards healthier babies and a healthier community. In addition, March of Dimes provides educational materials for pregnant women about the dangers of smoking while pregnant and awards community grants to organizations providing awareness about the risks associated with smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke while pregnant and smoking cessation counseling to pregnant women.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. For Missouri news, visit marchofdimes.com/missouri.
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