Dear Friend,

Summer 2003 is winding down, and fall is on the horizon. Thanks to many new volunteers, we decided to extend our Mothers March Online campaign through September. Although you can register at any time during the year, this will be the end of our incentive program with Lillian Vernon. If you can, donate 15 minutes of your time to help us raise funds and awareness to save premature babies. Join Mothers March Online Today!

In this month's Personal Spotlight, we feature Megan's story. Her son began his life in the Georgetown University NICU and is now home and healthy.

Because you are part of the March of Dimes family, we're sharing this story with you, as well as important information on:

• the risks of drinking alchohol during pregnancy
• states with recommended newborn screening tests
• our request for your child's birth story
• "Tip of the Month"

Visit marchofdimes.com to read more. Share your comments, suggestions and feedback on this newsletter by e-mailing newsletter@marchofdimes.com

John Michael O'Brien: In 2002, I, along with my friends and family, participated in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica on behalf of my son John Michael O'Brien and his friends from Georgetown University NICU. My son was born on July 21, 2001, weighing in at 1 lb. 12 oz. and was 14 inches long. Because of new medical procedures and the power of prayer, he is home with us today and absolutely thriving! Although John Michael spent three long months in the hospital, we are slowly moving past his fragile beginning. We will never forget the care and the state-of-the-art treatment given to our son. The advancement made in the care of premature babies, from lung surfactant therapy to developmental issues, have made it possible for our son to lead a normal life. We are happy to report at 6 months actual, 3 months adjusted, John Michael is 13 pounds, rolling over, eating well, laughing, ...and screaming his head off when he wants something! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give back by participating in WalkAmerica. We look forward to it! Megan O'Brien Virginia

Alcohol
Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can cause your baby to be born with physical and mental birth defects called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation.

No one knows exactly how much alcohol a woman has to drink to cause FAS in her baby (and that level may be different among women). So experts agree that the best thing to do is not to drink alcohol at all while you are pregnant—that includes beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor.

Find out more about what you need to know from our Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center. sm

Few States Offer Adequate Newborn Screening; Most Fall Short of March of Dimes Recommendations

Only nine states make the grade; 18 states offer only 5 tests or fewer.

Every baby born in the U.S. undergoes some newborn screening, but few parents may realize that the number of disorders their baby will be screened for depends entirely on the U.S. state in which the baby is born.

The March of Dimes recommended in 2000 that all babies receive screening for a minimum of nine metabolic disorders and be given a hearing test. These screenings can sometimes mean the difference between a healthy start in life and disability, or even death, for a baby. The tests recommended by the March of Dimes lead to reliable diagnosis of conditions for which there is a proven treatment.

Do you know of a baby who was born prematurely?
Visit our Prematurity
Web site.

Preventing a dangerous newborn infection
All pregnant women should be screened for an infection called group B streptococcus(GBS) with a swab of the vagina and rectum at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a woman is found to carry GBS, she should be treated with intravenous antibiotics during labor and delivery to prevent a dangerous infection in her newborn.