Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, will launch “Mission: Health Baby,” a free information and support program created especially for military families, today at the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in San Diego from noon to 1:00 p.m.
“We designed ‘Mission: Health Baby' specifically to address the unique needs of military members who may be stationed far away from the support of family and friends, or who may be fighting the war in Iraq or Afghanistan while their partner is home, expecting a child,” said Dr. Howse. “We need to give these families, who are sacrificing so much, the support and medical information they need.”
“The VFW and the Ladies Auxiliary VFW are proud to partner with the March of Dimes to offer the “Mission: Healthy Baby” program,” said Michael Gormalley, VFW Assistant Adjutant General. “Helping military spouses and their family members become aware of the March of Dimes support and free information about prenatal care and newborn health is a great addition to the ‘quality of life' initiatives all military services are supporting.”
The March of Dimes launched a nationwide, multi-year, Prematurity Campaign in 2003 to address the growing problem of premature birth, which affects more than 480,000 babies each year.
About 100,000 babies are born into military service families each year, according to the Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Registry. Military service women and spouses of service members have free access to prenatal care. However, prematurity and low birth weight rates in this group are about the same as those in the general population, which means that more than 12 percent of babies born to military families are premature each year (sources: Public Health. 2000 114 374-379 and Military Medicine Jan. 2000 165 49-53 and May 2003 168, 385-90). The stress these families live under and the constant strain of wondering if their loved one will be deployed into a war zone may be a factor these early births and their adverse consequences.
“Mission: Healthy Baby” materials can be obtained by calling 914-428-7100, by visiting marchofdimes.com/vfw or from VFW Posts, which have adopted military units.
“Mission: Health Baby” provides information and support about:
- Preconception care – what is it and when does it start;
- Pregnancy – prenatal care, healthy habits, things to avoid and complications;
- Premature labor – what are the warning signs;
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Family Support Materials;
- Newborn care – bringing baby home.
