Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN)

November is National Prematurity Awareness Month, an opportunity to reflect on the nearly 400,000 babies born preterm each year in the United States and what we can do to prevent it.

About 1 in 10 babies are born preterm, or before completing the normal 37-40 weeks of pregnancy. These babies miss out on the important growth and development which happens in the final weeks. Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant mortality. Babies who survive can have short- and long-term health problems.

We don’t understand all the reasons some babies are born too soon. Even women who appear to do everything “right” can deliver too early. But we do know that some factors increase the risk of preterm birth: young or advanced age of the mother, cigarette or substance abuse, stress, depression, and carrying more than one baby. Factors that determine how we thrive or falter in our environment – poverty, lack of access to quality healthcare, discrimination, and underemployment – also play a role.

This National Prematurity Awareness Month, we invite future parents, pregnant women and everyone supporting them through their pregnancy, healthcare providers, public health professionals, and others – to learn about preterm birth and take action to prevent it.