Prematurity Campaign
- In the United States, 1 in 8 babies is born prematurely.
- Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year.
- We’re working to address the crisis at home and abroad.
Progress and impact
Prematurity is the leading killer of America's newborns. Those who survive often have lifelong health problems, including cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, chronic lung disease, blindness and hearing loss.
Preterm birth can happen to any pregnant woman. In about 4 out of every 10 cases, the causes are unknown.
The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign was launched on January 30, 2003. Since then, the Campaign has made significant strides in achieving its two goals: (1) to raise public awareness of the problems of prematurity and (2) to decrease the rate of preterm birth in the United States. Annual reports reflect this progress:
Preterm birth can happen to any pregnant woman. In about 4 out of every 10 cases, the causes are unknown.
The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign was launched on January 30, 2003. Since then, the Campaign has made significant strides in achieving its two goals: (1) to raise public awareness of the problems of prematurity and (2) to decrease the rate of preterm birth in the United States. Annual reports reflect this progress: