In July of 2006 the Institute of Medicine published a report entitled “Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention.”  Some facts demonstrating the importance of this briefing are:

• The increasing rate of preterm birth constitutes a serious public health problem that cost our society over $26 billion in 2005 alone. 
• In 2004 more than 500,000 babies were born prematurely in the U.S. – 1 in 8 births – accounting for 12.5% of all births in the United States, a rate that has increased 30% since 1981.
• Preterm labor can happen to any pregnant woman and the causes of nearly half of all preterm births are unknown.

Please join the Institute of Medicine and the March of Dimes to learn more about this landmark report and the all too often devastating effects of preterm birth.

SPONSORS:

Senator Lamar Alexander
Senator Chris Dodd
Representative Fred Upton
Representative Anna Eshoo
Institute of Medicine
March of Dimes