When I walked into my doctor\u2019s office on May 9th, 2010, I expected to go through a routine stress test. At 35 weeks into my pregnancy, I was used to seeing my OBGYN and a perinatologist regularly, so I had plans to go to Babies \u2018R Us to pick out crib bedding after my appointment.<\/p>\n
I never made it.<\/strong><\/p>\n Tests showed that my baby\u2019s heart rate was dropping with each of my contractions\u2013contractions I didn\u2019t even know I was having. Thankfully, I made it to the hospital in time, and gave birth to my baby boy the next morning.<\/p>\n Have you heard this birth story before?<\/em> It may be your story, too. Or your cousin\u2019s, your sister\u2019s, or your best friend\u2019s. I\u2019m not the first mom to go into labor early, and I\u2019m sure I won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n More than 15 million moms give birth prematurely each year, and rates in the U.S. are rising. This year, the March of Dimes gave the United States a \u201cC\u201d on their Premature Birth Report Card, and across the states, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana all got F\u2019s.<\/p>\n Hispanic moms are 1.1% more likely to have preterm babies, while Black moms are 1.5% more likely to give birth early.<\/strong> A Contemporary Ob\/Gyn article says that stress can lead to an early labor, \u201cespecially if it occurs early in pregnancy and is a type over which the woman has little control, such as the stress associated with catastrophic events, domestic violence, and racism.\u201d Researchers still don\u2019t know exactly what causes prematurity, but getting early medical care, eating right, and quitting smoking can all help moms have healthier pregnancies.<\/p>\n The March of Dimes has made it their mission to lower the preterm birth rate by 2020. By giving women access to information and support during their pregnancies, they hope to help more babies survive and thrive. The March of Dimes is funding lifesaving research and speaking out for legislation that improves care for moms and babies. Through education and awareness campaigns, hospital quality improvement and community intervention programs, the March of Dimes hopes to make an immediate, substantial and measurable impact on preterm birth.<\/p>\n