CONTACT
Julie Naughton, Office of Communications, 402-471-1695 (office); 402-405-7202 (cell); julie.naughton@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – In the United States, 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely (defined as any infant born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) each year, and according to the March of Dimes, Nebraska's preterm birth rate is 10.5% of all pregnancies each year. National Prematurity Awareness Month, held in November, shines a spotlight on this important topic.
While medical science has advanced to the point where doctors are able to save children at younger and younger gestational ages, it's best for your baby (and you) if your child is carried to full term.
The Maternal Infant Health Program in the Division of Public Health offers urgent warning signs and symptoms of trouble during pregnancy:
- A headache that does not get better, even after taking medicine
- Dizziness or fainting
- Fever of 100.4F or higher
- Swelling, tenderness or pain in your leg
- Trouble breathing
- Severe nausea or vomiting
- Baby's movement slowing down or stopping
- Overwhelming tiredness
- Chest pains or a fast-beating heart
- Changes in your vision
Visit your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms or symptoms of early labor, such as contractions, pelvic pressure, abdominal cramps, or bleeding.
A healthy pregnancy starts long before the baby is on the way. Getting health conditions under control – including weight, medical and mental health concerns, and smoking, substance, or alcohol use – can help you carry to full term. Also recommended is birth spacing – waiting at least 18 months between the end of a pregnancy and the start of the next one.
Over this past year, the Maternal Infant Health Program has focused on smoking cessation before and after pregnancy with Tobacco Free Nebraska. Women who smoke have more difficulty becoming pregnant and have a higher risk of never becoming pregnant or pregnancy complications. Smoking during pregnancy can cause health concerns for the baby as well, including low birth weight, a premature birth, increased risk for birth defects, and Sudden Unexplained Infant Death. A targeted mailing to OB/GYN, family practice doctors and pediatricians across Nebraska encouraged physicians to refer patients to the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline to help with smoking cessation. Free Quitline services are available 24/7, in over 200 languages at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
Prematurity is also part of Nebraska's Title V five-year plan. The DHHS Maternal Infant Health Program, the Nebraska Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), and Epidemiology Surveillance are working with the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPQIC) in a focus group looking at prematurity in Nebraska.
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