| E-MAIL NEWSLETTER | February 2006 |  |
||
 |
||||
|
||||
|
Dear Friend,
Another feature, "What is ... ?", explains common terms used in the care and treatment of premature babies. We never want to assume that readers are familiar with sometimes arcane terminology and often surprising methods used in the care of such early babies that is often so fascinating. We're also delighted by our chance to have our President, Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, answer questions about the March of Dimes mission at the start of 2006. You'll also have a chance to read an eloquent testimonial of love from a grandfather to his premature grandson. Please join us in our effort to improve the health of babies and mothers. |
This month's edition of Miracles includes a new entry in
our recurring "March of Dimes Helps" feature to show how
the foundation is making a direct and immediate difference in the
lives of familes and babies. |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
||
| Dear March of Dimes, | |
||
|
My fraternal twin grandsons were born on November 10, 2005, as the Marine Corps celebrated its 230th birthday. They were delivered by cesarean section at the Women's Center of the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. My daughter Kelly had had an extremely difficult pregnancy, starting preterm labor at just 18 weeks, going on full bed rest at 20 weeks, and entering the hospital at 24 weeks. She had a number of major contractions while in the hospital and had to undergo ...
This story has been used with permission of the author, and originally
appeared on the March of Dimes shareyourstory.org
Web site, where people can share stories, participate in online
discussions about premature and sick babies, and meet other NICU
families. We invite you to join us there. |
|
 |
|
|
||||||||||
The devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought with them
bitter lessons: once a disastrous event is over, its tragic aftermath
remains.
What lies ahead for thousands of pregnant women and newborn babies may be cramped shelters or temporary housing, with no transportation and often no access to medical care. Due to the stresses of the experience, many of those babies will be born early, and face a struggle for life. Greg Gumbel is heading a fund-raising campaign for the March of Dimes, with an objective to purchase and deploy mobile medical units -- Mama and Baby Buses -- that can bring lifesaving prenatal care wherever and whenever they're needed. They'll be staffed by doctors and nurses, and carry essential medical supplies, the latest technologies, and critical health information -- right to pregnant women and babies wherever they are. For more than a decade, Gumbel has volunteered for the March
of Dimes, allying himself with the foundation to save babies from
birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Now he's
leading the charge on this vital project. Please watch this brief video, in which Gumbel makes the case for the need for Mama and Baby Buses. (Requires Windows Media Player.) To learn more or to donate, visit marchofdimes.com/dream.
|
|
||||||||||
Miracles: What are the March of Dimes objectives for 2006? Dr. Howse: Our primary objective is to save babies' lives. We'll do that by funding research to develop new ways to prevent and treat birth defects and premature birth. By funding community programs that help pregnant women get the care they need. By advocating for legislation that would allow every baby to get 29 newborn screening tests that can protect them from deadly disorders. And by expanding our NICU Family Support® Project that brings information and comfort to families with a baby in intensive care. Miracles: What are the key obstacles to reducing premature birth? Dr. Howse: The biggest challenge we face is understanding what causes premature birth. About 50% of premature births have no known cause. The mother didn't smoke, she had no family history of prematurity, she did everything right, and she still had a premature baby. We need research breakthroughs to help us understand why this happens and how it can be prevented. That's why last year, I created a special research fund to focus exclusively on premature birth, and we now have 12 scientists around the world conducting investigations into prematurity. Miracles: Do you feel the March of Dimes is making progress in its mission? Dr. Howse: Yes. We have a strong track record of delivering advances that save lives. We funded the Salk and Sabin polio vaccines. We created the concept of neonatal intensive care. We funded early research on surfactant therapy, which has dramatically reduced infant deaths from respiratory distress. We got folic acid added to the nation's grain ... Read more of Miracles' talk with Dr. Howse |
|
|
||
|
||||||||||
More than a half million babies were born too soon in the United States in 2004, according to preliminary data released today by the National Center for Health Statistics. Some 12.5 percent of all babies – about 508,000 – were born premature (less than 37 completed weeks gestation), according to Preliminary Births for 2004: Infant and Maternal Health, which was released on the March of Dimes third annual national Prematurity Awareness Day. "We were deeply saddened on Prematurity Awareness Day to learn these sobering statistics," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "Prematurity has reached crisis proportions, and has become the number one killer of newborns. The health consequences for babies who ...
|
|
||
|
|
Spring arrives next month! Thank you and be
well, Our Mission: To improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. We carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies' lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: premature birth, birth defects, low birthweight. |
|
This online newsletter is sponsored by the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization. Visit marchofdimes.com to read more. Share your comments, suggestions and feedback on this newsletter by e-mailing newsletter@marchofdimes.com. This newsletter is for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. © March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, 2006 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
| ANNUAL FUND 2006 | ||
|
|
|
|
PLEASE SUPPORT THE MARCH OF DIMES TODAY...  |
||
|
|
|
|
| National Ambassador 2006 | ||
|
|
|
|
Where in the World is Alexa Ostolaza? The 2006 National Ambassador tour is off and running. This year's ambassador, Alexa Ostolaza, and her parents, Jessica and Josue of Gainesville, Florida, are traveling across the country on behalf of the March of Dimes to raise awareness of issues related to premature birth. After recent visits to Phoenix, Philadelphia, Wisconsin, and Houston, their travels will soon take them to Raleigh/Durham, Cleveland and San Diego. Please wish them safe travels. Find out more about Alexa, and the March of Dimes National Ambassador Program.
|
||
|
|
|
|
 Honor a baby and make a charitable gift, too! Create a virtual band in a baby's name, and ask friends and family to donate in the child's name to the March of Dimes.
|
||
|
|
|
| WHAT IS ... Surfactant? | ||
|
|
|
|
A key insight that led to helping premature babies survive
involved bubbles. Specifically, it was the fact that soap in
water reduces the pressure difference between the inside and
outside of a bubble, and keeps it from collapsing.
When healthy babies are born, their lungs pop open, and their alveoli (the millions of microscopic air sacs in which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged during breathing) afterwards stay open, ready to receive air with each breath. In the 1950s and '60s, despite the best efforts of doctors, many extremely premature babies died of respiratory distress syndrome, or RDS. Their lungs would open after birth, but their...
Learn more about terminology related to the care of premature newborns.
|
||
|
|
|
|