Campaign Goals

On January 30, 2003, the fight against prematurity was officially launched at a press conference in Washington, D.C. The all-out effort to reduce prematurity will be waged on a number of fronts.

• Goal:  Raising Awareness of Prematurity
  The March of Dimes goal is to raise awareness of the problem of prematurity to 60 percent among women of childbearing age and 50 percent among the general public by 2010. 
  
  While the rate of premature births has been increasing, surveys show that most people have no idea either how widespread or how serious the problem is. Prematurity is a silent enemy...and can be a lethal one. 
  
  To inform the public about this serious problem, the March of Dimes has produced television, radio and print materials that will be distributed across the country.
  
  Other material has been created to educate pregnant women about the signs of preterm labor and what to do if they have them.
  
• Goal:  Reducing the Rate of Premature Births
  The March of Dimes goal is to reduce the rate of prematurity from 12.1 percent in 2002 to 7.6% in 2010, in accordance with the the U.S. Public Health Service Healthy People 2010 objective.
  
  Prematurity has increased at an alarming rate over the past two decades. The March of Dimes is determined to stem the tide of premature deliveries with education and research.
  
  Education helps ensure that pregnant women and their health care providers have the latest information about how to reduce the risk of a premature birth.
  
  Funding research is critical to the fight against prematurity. If the causes of premature birth can be better understood, then new ways to prevent it can be developed. A significant portion of our research portfolio addresses prematurity. With help from people like you, we can fund more research. Help us gain more knowledge before we lose more babies. Click here to learn about leadership giving opportunities.