THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY WATSON, BOYD, PASHINSKI, RAPP, MILNE, BAKER, BRADFORD, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, COX, DALEY, DiGIROLAMO, D. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLEN, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GROVE, HARHART, HARPER, HARRIS, HESS, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, MARSICO, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, MUSTIO, M. O'BRIEN, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, ROCK, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SONNEY, STABACK, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TOOHIL, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATERS, YOUNGBLOOD, MIRABITO AND J. EVANS, APRIL 30, 2012

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 30, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing the month of May 2012 as "Healthy Babies Month" in

Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, The March of Dimes is declaring May 2012 to be

"Healthy Babies Month" in order to educate women and men of

childbearing age about the importance of preconception and

prenatal care, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle in order to

enhance positive birth outcomes; and

WHEREAS, Women of childbearing age can take steps before and

during pregnancy to improve birth outcomes, including adopting a

healthy lifestyle of moderate exercise and a healthy diet,

reducing stress and avoiding exposure to smoking, alcohol,

illegal drugs and some medications that can harm a developing

fetus; and

WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania in 2010, 15.4% of women 18 to 44

years of age reported binge drinking in the past month, which is

comparable to 15.4% overall in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Drinking alcohol during pregnancy, and particularly

binge drinking, can cause birth defects and mental retardation;

and

WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania in 2010, 22.5% of women 18 to 44

years of age reported smoking, compared to 17.6% overall in the

United States; and

WHEREAS, Smoking is an important determinant of health status

and a major contributor to prematurity and low birth weight; and

WHEREAS, Up to 70% of neural tube defects, which are birth

defects of the brain and spinal cord, may be prevented if women

consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, prior to and during

the early weeks of conception; and

WHEREAS, Eighty-four percent of women 18 to 45 years of age

surveyed had heard of folic acid, but only 11% of these women

reported knowing the importance of taking folic acid prior to

pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, Early and regular preconception and prenatal care is

a pregnant woman's first line of defense for protecting her

baby; and

WHEREAS, Recommendations for a healthy pregnancy include

prevention of infections such as rubella, not using prescription

or over-the-counter medications without approval of a doctor and

avoiding tobacco, alcohol and illicit substances; therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the

month of May 2012 as "Healthy Babies Month" in Pennsylvania and

urge parents and prospective parents to contact the March of

Dimes and allied health care organizations for literature on how

to prepare themselves before conception and during pregnancy.