Press Release

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November 15, 2004

An East Bay county has planned several activities to spotlight National Prematurity Day on November 16 and National Prematurity Month, (November).

Contra Costa Health Services' Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Program is sponsoring various events this month to help raise awareness around prematurity. Activities planned include a 30-minute Spanish language television show, Vida Sana en Vivo. The FIMR Program will also give presentations on prematurity and infant mortality to dozens of physicians at local hospitals and through visits to community providers. Educational kits to support efforts to educate women on preterm labor and danger signs of pregnancy will be given to providers.

"Prematurity is sometimes ignored but it is the leading cause of death among infants less than twenty-eight days old. In Contra Costa almost one in ten babies are born prematurely or more than three weeks before their due date," said Dawn Dailey, Public Health Nurse Manager.

She said the Vida Sana en Vivo: Prematurity show will run November 18 and December 2 at 3:30 p.m. and November 19 and December 31 at 5 p.m. on Contra Costa Television. (Channel 27 for Comcast viewers and channel 32 for Astound viewers)

"It's important that women know what the symptoms of preterm labor are and what steps they need to take if they experience the symptoms," said Dailey.

According to Dailey, these activities are part of a yearlong project designed to raise awareness among providers and pregnant women.

More information about the Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program and Vida Sana are available online at cchealth.org.

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