November is also National Family Caregivers month! Access resources to support caregivers' mental health.
Prematurity Awareness Month
Nov. 13 - 19, 2023
NICHQ is proud to support Transgender Awareness Week-- a time dedicated to raising the visibility of transgender people and addressing issues members of the community face.
Browse resources for healthcare professionals and families supporting transgender children.
Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant mortality.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 10 babies are born preterm, or before completing the normal 37 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. These babies miss out on the important growth and development that happens in the final weeks.
Carrying to full-term helps safeguard against some of the greatest threats to infant health.
During the month of November, NICHQ is proud to recognize Prematurity Awareness Month and help spread the word about the importance of reducing preterm birth and ensuring babies, mothers, and birthing people from all communities are supported with resources and services necessary to carry to full term.
Reducing Substance Use Disorder in Pregnancy
Medical experts don’t know all the reasons that some babies are born prematurely, however, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chance for preterm birth, including delivering a premature baby in the past, being pregnant with multiples, a short time (less than 18 months) between pregnancies, and tobacco use and substance abuse.
Black Grief & Infant Loss
The Impact of Loss: Recognizing the Uniqueness of Black Grief In-service
Black birthing people face disproportionate grief from premature loss due to maternal and infant mortality rates. This is another way that Black birthing families are at increased risk of suffering from the adverse effects of racism, which ultimately can impact birth outcomes. The Healthy Start TA & Support Center and the GISS Center held a 90-minute training on understanding infant loss and African-American grief. Throughout the training, participants learned about African Americans’ historical and contemporary experiences with death, including the impact of systemic racism on individuals’ reactions to loss.
Nationwide Efforts to Improve Birthing Outcomes
The National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC) coordinates activities to support PQCs as they are working to address public health issues that are significantly impacting the health of families such as preterm birth, opioid use and neonatal abstinence syndrome, severe pregnancy complications associated with high blood pressure and hemorrhage, and more. Check out the NNPQC's new public website to learn more about PQC initiatives.
Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
Ten percent of babies born in the U.S. are born prematurely, placing them at higher risk for health problems and complications. Wondering how to improve? Consider the following:
- Support screenings that identify risk factors for preterm birth
- Provide training to enhance patient, family and community engagement
- Improve access to progesterone, which can help alleviate premature births
- Advance education about the risks of nonmedical early elective delivery
Looking for more ideas?
- Read our case study about states' Efforts to Address Preterm Birth Rates.
- Watch the accompanying webinar where States Share Interventions, Policy Efforts, & Emerging Issues
