Philadelphia's PECO Building asks, "What can you do for pink & blue?" in a crown lights message.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and the Pennyslvania Chapter of the March of Dimes is swaddling its most prominent landmarks in pink and blue in a celebration of all babies and their stories. 

Recognizing November as Prematurity Awareness Month, the March of Dimes continues to lead the fight against the more than half a million premature births that occur in this country every year - and other serious threats to infant health.  Prematurity is the number one killer of newborns.  In fact, each year, 11.5% of all Pennsylvania live births are preterm, which means over 16,000 babies in this state alone suffer the consequences of being born too soon.

“In November, Pennsylvania will shine with hope for all babies: those born prematurely, those who were lost, and those whose lives hang in the balance,” said Michele Frennier, State Director of Communications.  “The pink and blue lights across the state celebrate the stories of all babies and their families in Pennsylvania and across the nation,” she added. 

Some of the landmarks which will be decorated to raise awareness and shed light on this national crisis include:

• Erie's Bicentennial Tower at Dobbin's Landing and Perry Square
• Philadelphia's PECO Building, Ben Franklin Bridge, Constitution Center, City Hall Fountain, Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News Building

Also, as part of the November observance, everyone is invited to share their baby’s unique story with others by visiting www.marchofdomes.com/everybaby.  On this Web site, an interactive map allows families and friends to connect through activities across the country, all to celebrate babies.  Read others’ stories and join a community that honors the babies in your life. 

The March of Dimes funds top-level research and programs to find the causes and how to prevent premature births and other serious threats to infant health, as well as programs that provide information and comfort to families.

The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.  American Baby and Baby Talk magazines and Working Mother Media are national media sponsors.  More than 50 professional and consumer organizations have become Prematurity Campaign alliance members, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Hospital Association, and the American Public Health Association.

Nationally, Prematurity Campaign sponsors include CIGNA, FedEx, Motherhood Maternity and the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute; the national Prematurity Awareness Month supporter is First Response. In Pennsylvania, the Prematurity Campaign sponsor is Geisinger.

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. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.