Saturday, October 25, 2008

Help the March of Dimes fight Prematurity!!!!!

Everyone who is concerned about the health of babies needs to be involved in the March of Dimes, they are such a wonderful organization whose only concern is healthy babies.

They have started a campaign called the Petition for Preemies. Join the rest of us fighting for these little ones and sign it!!

Mothers are casting their votes for healthy babies and asking all Americans to join them in signing the March of Dimes 2008 Petition for Preemies. They’re putting public officials – and all Americans – on notice that it’s time to focus on the growing problem of premature birth, the leading cause of newborn death.

Go here to sign the Petition for Preemies
1. We urge the federal government to increase support for prematurity-related research and data collection as recommended by the Institute of Medicine and the Surgeon General’s Conference on the Prevention of Preterm Birth, to:
(a) identify the causes of premature birth;
(b) test strategies for prevention;
(c) improve the care, treatment and outcomes of preterm infants;
(d) and better define and track the problem of premature birth.
2. We urge federal and state policymakers to expand access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.
3. We call on hospitals and health care professionals to voluntarily assess c-sections and inductions that occur prior to 39 weeks gestation to ensure consistency with professional guidelines.
4. We call on businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health. View our 14 recommendations. (workplacecriteria.pdf, 90kb)