Originally published September 23 2005
Premature births on the rise
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Nearly half a million babies were born prematurely in the United States in 2003, increasing the premature birth rate more than 30 percent from 9.4 percent in 1981 to 12.3 percent today.
"Prematurity is the number one killer of newborns.
We see from these latest statistics that the prematurity crisis in this country continues to intensify, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will only make it worse, " said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes.
"Babies are dying and those who survive are too often left with devastating consequences -- such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, learning problems and blindness."
The March of Dimes began its multi-year campaign to address the growing rate of premature birth in 2003.
The campaign educates women on the signs and symptoms of premature birth, and supports more research into the causes of premature labor.
One of the goals of the campaign is to help the nation reach the goal set by the U.S. Public Health Service of reducing the rate of premature birth to 7.6 percent by 2010.
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