PRINTER'S NO. 2196
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
487
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY DONATUCCI, V. BROWN, COHEN, YOUNGBLOOD, ROZZI,
DiGIROLAMO, McNEILL, BISHOP, ROEBUCK, VEREB, MILLARD,
LONGIETTI, SCHLOSSBERG, THOMAS, D. COSTA, MURT, READSHAW,
KIRKLAND, MATZIE, ROSS, ACOSTA, WHEELAND, CRUZ, WATSON,
C. PARKER, KILLION, GROVE, CALTAGIRONE, PHILLIPS-HILL,
EVERETT, MAJOR, MAHONEY, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GILLEN, FARINA
AND SCHWEYER, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating November 17, 2015, as "World Prematurity Day" in
Pennsylvania and recognizing the serious public health
concern of prematurity in birth and the compelling need to
reduce the incidence of preterm births in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, The March of Dimes has declared November 17, 2015,
as "World Prematurity Day," a chance to raise awareness about
the topic of prematurity on the local, national and
international level; and
WHEREAS, While most women give birth to healthy, full-term
babies, premature births are not uncommon and involve much
emotional pain for the mother and her family; and
WHEREAS, Also known as preterm birth, a premature birth is
one that occurs at least three weeks before the due date for a
baby, or less than 37-weeks' gestation; and
WHEREAS, Preterm birth can happen to any pregnant woman, and
in approximately four out of every ten cases, the cause is
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unknown; and
WHEREAS, There are three groups of women at greatest risk of
preterm labor and birth: women who have had a previous preterm
birth, women who are pregnant with twins or higher order
multiples and women with certain uterine or cervical
abnormalities; and
WHEREAS, If a woman has any of these three risk factors, it
is especially important for her to know the signs and symptoms
of preterm labor and what to do if they occur; and
WHEREAS, Among the known lifestyle risk factors for preterm
birth are a woman's use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and
inadequate preconception and prenatal care, although prematurity
in birth may occur in women who have no known risk factors; and
WHEREAS, Preterm babies represent the largest child patient
group, and the number of preterm births continues to increase
even as the total number of overall births is steadily
decreasing; and
WHEREAS, Worldwide approximately one in every ten babies is
born premature, and every year about 15 million children are
born too early; and
WHEREAS, Despite this high number and the risks involved, the
public is not fully aware of the prevention of preterm birth and
the problems and risks involved in the development of a preterm
infant; and
WHEREAS, A recent report ranks the United States 131st in the
world in terms of its preterm birth rate of 12 per 100 live
births, almost tied with Somalia, Thailand and Turkey; and
WHEREAS, With a 2014 preterm birth rate of 10.7%,
Pennsylvania received a "B" on its report card, indicating
improvement in the past years, but the need for more improvement
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in reducing the number of preterm births in this Commonwealth
exists; and
WHEREAS, Although babies may survive preterm birth, some may
require special medical care requiring weeks or months of
hospitalization, and oftentimes these babies face adverse health
conditions over the course of their lives, such as chronic
respiratory problems; cerebral palsy; a higher risk of learning,
behavioral and intellectual disabilities; vision and hearing
loss; feeding and digestive problems; sensory and motor
deficits; infections; and cardiovascular diseases or diabetes,
compared to their full-term counterparts; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, the annual cost of these
serious health consequences is estimated to be more than $26
billion; and
WHEREAS, Prematurity is the leading cause of death for
newborn babies, and, compared to most industrialized countries,
the United States has a high rate of preterm birth, as each year
more than 450,000 preterm births, affecting 11.5% of all babies,
occur in this nation; and
WHEREAS, Although doctors have made exceptional progress in
the care of premature babies, more research is needed to
increase the medical community's understanding of the risk
factors for premature birth; and
WHEREAS, Researchers agree that better screening tests need
to be developed to identify women likely to give birth early, as
well as treatments that can be used early to interrupt the
cascade of events leading to prematurity; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
November 17, 2015, as "World Prematurity Day" in Pennsylvania
and recognize the serious public health concern of prematurity
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in birth and the compelling need to reduce the incidence of
preterm births in this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the staff
and volunteers of the March of Dimes for their considerable
efforts toward preventing preterm birth, infant mortality and
birth defects by educating and supporting women and families
regarding healthy birth.
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