THE HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR COUNTRY
Throughout Prematurity Awareness Month and on November 17, World Prematurity Day, March of Dimes is shining a spotlight on this maternal and infant health crisis. The U.S. preterm birth rate has increased for the fourth year in a row.
It’s not fine. But with your help, it can be.
With your support, we can advance the understanding of premature birth, working hand-in-hand with researchers, policymakers, community leaders and families.
Take action to support moms and babies
Donate to help
Your gift funds lifesaving research and community programs that keep families healthy and strong.
DonateSign Our Petition to Fight for the Health and Lives of All Moms
I stand with March of Dimes and call on Congress to act today to swiftly pass a comprehensive maternal health package. By improving the health of moms, we can ensure better outcomes for them and their babies.
More ways to give
You can make a huge difference in communities like yours during Prematurity Awareness Month.
Shop the gift guide
Visit our gift guide to purchase a HERO T-shirt for everyone in your family.
Shop NowFacebook fundraiser
You can also start a Facebook fundraiser to make a meaningful gift to support healthy moms and strong babies.
Start NowCreate an event
Creating a do-it-yourself fundraising campaign is a fun and easy way to empower families.
CreateSupport with Livestreaming
If you livestream or broadcast, start a fundraiser with us on Tiltify.
Go to TiltifyPrematurity Awareness Month
You're making an impact
When you fight for the lives of healthy moms and strong babies, you’re personally making a difference for families everywhere.
Report card
Learn your state's gradeState spotlight
Find out what your state is doing locallySupportive pregnancy care
We're expanding our group prenatal care programMarch of Dimes Prematurity Research Centers
We're studying the unknown causes of premature birthMarch of Dimes Prematurity Collaborative
We're working together to achieve equityNICU family support
We're helping families in the hospital
The Guzman Family
Rubi Guzman had an uneventful pregnancy until, for unknown reasons, she went into early labor. Her son, Andres, was born prematurely on September 28, 2015, at 25 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 15 ounces. Nothing could prepare Rubi and her husband, Israel, for the fear and uncertainty that would come during their baby’s 4-month hospital stay, but March of Dimes NICU Family Support was there to help.
While the professionals in the NICU at Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago handled Andres’s medical emergencies, Jessica Bowen, MSW, LCSW, NICU Family Support Specialist, immediately cared for his parents. Rubi says, “I never had to go looking for her. She always found us!” Jessica offered information about the NICU; helped them create a keepsake of their baby’s milestones; prepared them for their first Kangaroo Care experience—holding their son skin-to-skin—and set up holiday celebrations. “I try to anticipate ways that we can make each day just a little bit easier such as with a class, a change in family-centered care practices or something as simple as a smile,” Jessica explains.
Israel spent as much time as he could by his son’s side and recalls, “Without NICU Family Support, our whole experience would have been scarier.” The best preparation with Jessica and the staff was the 3-week transition from hospital to home, leading up to Andres’s discharge on January 28, 2016, after 123 days, when he weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
More things to do
Download our toolkits during Prematurity Awareness Month for tips, tools and resources to help you easily spread awareness, reach out on social and find out how you can join the fight for the health of all moms and babies this fall.
Spread the word
Note of Encouragement
Send a personal note of encouragement to a NICU family to show them they are not alone during their difficult time.
More InfoUnspoken
Take part in our #UnspokenStories community, where stories of pregnancy, parenting and loss—the ones that often go unshared—are told honestly.
More InfoShare your story
Share your story in a supportive space where you can connect with others, and offer support to families with similar experiences.
More InfoFacebook community
Join March of Dimes on Facebook to connect with families across the nation to offer support, comfort and friendship.
More InfoTake action on social
Post messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram—don't forget to tag @marchofdimes and use #PrematurityAwarenessMonth, #WorldPrematurityDay and #ItsNotFine in your posts!
Social Activities
Join us online
Join us on Friday, November 15 at 9 A.M. EST on Twitter for a World Prematurity Day chat. Share your story, hear from experts and advocates worldwide and help raise awareness of this global health crisis. Join in at #WPDChat.
March of Dimes on TwitterLight it purple!
Light it purple, including your office or home. If you can wear it, make it purple. And don’t forget to share pictures on your social channels with #WorldPrematurityDay and @marchofdimes.