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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Healthy Babies are Worth Waiting For
December 01, 2016
Healthy Babies are Worth Waiting For
Dec. 1, 2016
Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County promotes healthy choices to reduce rates of premature births during Prematurity Awareness Month
Contact:
Jennifer S. Sexton
Jennifer.Sexton@flhealth.gov
941-624-7279
Port Charlotte, Fla. – Premature babies, those born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, can have serious health problems not only at birth but also later in life. Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County staff from the Growing Strong Families program were presented a proclamation of Prematurity Awareness Month at the Board of County Commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday, November 22. By raising awareness of the risk factors that can lead to premature birth, also known as preterm birth, Charlotte County women can make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk.
Babies continue to develop and grow throughout the entire pregnancy. Babies born early are at a higher risk of serious disability or death. According to the March of Dimes, in 2013, more than one third of infant deaths were due to preterm-related causes.
Preterm births in Charlotte County, percent of total births
2013 - 9.3% 2014 - 9.2% 2015 - 8.7% |
“Premature births cost our nation upwards of $26.2 billion each year in expenses associated with medical care, labor and delivery costs, early intervention services, special education services, and lost work and pay,” said Dr. Frank Lepore, Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County. “Growing Strong Families was launched in 2014 to bring registered nurses into the homes of at-risk women to educate and empower them to make healthier choices which will reduce their risk of having a premature baby as well as improve the health of their families overall.”
In partnership with Bayfront Health Port Charlotte, Healthy Start, Healthy Families, the Baker Center, Charlotte County Transit, and Pregnancy Careline, Growing Strong Families has been able to provide needed services to sixty-five clients and their families over the past nine months, when additional staff was added to the program.
Data indicates that Charlotte County has recently improved its rate of preterm births: 8.7% of total births in 2015, down from 9.2% in 2014 and 9.3% in 2013. But these numbers are still far from ideal. The March of Dimes is working towards a nationwide goal of 8.1% or lower by 2020.
Can you reduce your risk for preterm labor and premature birth?
A woman who has had a premature baby in the past, is pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more), or has a problem with her uterus or cervix is most likely to have preterm labor and give birth early. However, the following are things that can be done to reduce some of the other known risk factors associated with preterm labor and premature birth:
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About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
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