One of the most common, serious and costly problems facing Florida families (and businesses) today is premature births. Yet, according to research, the general public doesn't regard prematurity as a problem. Many think prematurity “cures” itself as the baby grows, which is simply not true.

Founded in 1938 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the first mission of the March of Dimes was the prevention of polio. When the Salk vaccine was proven effective against polio in 1955, the organization turned to another major medical problem of the time: the prevention of birth defects and infant morality.

Great strides have been made to help eliminate many of those issues, but problems persist. In 2003, the March of Dimes was very concerned about the rising rates of premature births so they added prematurity to their mission statement.

Causes Not Widely Understood
Many people have seen pictures of “preemies” in hospital incubators. Often, they unwittingly comment on how “cute” or “tiny” preterm babies are, but when babies are born ahead of gestational schedule, they are at a much higher risk of health problems throughout their lives.

Odds are favorable that many of you reading this article already know a family with a prematurely-born baby.

A “full term” baby is delivered at approximately 40 weeks gestation. This gives the baby's organs time to mature and function properly.

Each year more than 508,000 babies (roughly the population of Brevard County) are born in the United States before completing 37 weeks gestation. That's one baby in eight or 12.5 percent of all the babies born in America.

Incidence on the Rise
In Florida, 29,287 babies were born prematurely in 2004; 700 of them in Brevard. And the incidence continues to rise at the national, state and county levels. Across America since 1981, the rate of premature birth has increased an alarming 31 percent.

If a baby is born prematurely, there are greater problems than just small size. For example, premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death. Premature babies may not be able to suck or digest well, their livers often cannot function properly and they often have breathing problems.

Babies who do survive preterm births can have serious life-long health problems such as cerebral palsy, blindness, mental retardation and chronic lung disease.

Most importantly, the causes for nearly half of all premature births are unknown, so it can happen to any family.

The High Cost
Prematurity takes an enormous emotional and financial toll on families and society through increased tax dollars and healthcare costs. It is a problem that impacts us all.

The economic cost of prematurity is considerable. The direct healthcare cost to employers for a premature baby averages $41,610, or almost 15 times the cost of a healthy, full-term delivery with no complications (about $2,830). Costs for medical treatment in preterm babies can go as high as $500,000 each.

That's why the March of Dimes designated November as Prematurity Awareness Month.

Nationwide, communities are focusing on what can be done to prevent and address the problem, including risk reduction and education for pregnant women and women of childbearing age, and support programs for parents with a baby in neonatal intensive care.

As it did with polio, the March of Dimes is bringing people together to fight this crisis. The good news is that there are many things a pregnant woman can do to help prevent preterm birth.

All mothers-to-be benefit from prenatal care, the earlier in the pregnancy the better. Even better is preparing before ever getting pregnant.

Access to Prenatal Care
The goal of prenatal care is to monitor the progress of the pregnancy and to identify potential problems before they become serious for either mom or baby.

Research has shown that women who regularly visit a healthcare provider during pregnancy have healthier babies, are less likely to deliver prematurely and are less likely to have other serious problems related to pregnancy.

No one can predict who will begin early labor, but certain women seem to experience preterm labor more than others. Women at highest risk include:

• Women younger than 17 years or older than 35.
• Women who are carrying twins or any multiple pregnancy.
• Women who have had more than three terminations.
• Women who have already had a preterm baby.
• Some women who have strenuous activity at work.
• Women who smoke.

Many women who have none of these risk factors may also deliver before they reach full term.

All women should be aware of the warning signs for preterm labor and call their healthcare provider immediately if they experience one or more of the following:

• Menstrual-like cramps (constant or occasional)
• Low, dull backache (constant or occasional)
• Pelvic pressure (feels like the baby is pushing down)
• Abdominal cramping (with or without diarrhea)
• Increase or change in vaginal discharge
• Contractions of the uterus every 10 minutes or more often (may be painless)
• Bleeding or leaking of fluid from the vagina

Pregnant women and their families can seek more prenatal health education at organizations within Brevard County, including:

March of Dimes Space Coast Division (321) 633-3047

Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard County, Inc. (321) 634-6101

The Brevard County Health Department (321) 454-7155 provides medical services to pregnant women in Brevard, regardless of their ability to pay.

Gail Garvin, M.P.H., B.S.N., is the Associate Director of Program Services for the East Central Florida Division/March of Dimes Florida Chapter. 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 online at www.marchofdimes.com.