PRINTER'S NO. 2543
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
554
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY DONATUCCI, DEAN, BAKER, READSHAW, NEILSON,
SOLOMON, HENNESSEY, TOOHIL, BIZZARRO, YOUNGBLOOD, MURT,
SCHLOSSBERG, DUSH, SONNEY, MACKENZIE, ROZZI, DiGIROLAMO,
LONGIETTI, CALTAGIRONE, KINSEY, MILLARD, WARD, SCHWEYER,
VAZQUEZ, MARSICO, V. BROWN, PASHINSKI, DRISCOLL, PHILLIPS-
HILL, WARREN, GILLEN, BRADFORD, THOMAS AND D. COSTA,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing November 17, 2017, as "World Prematurity Day" in
Pennsylvania and acknowledging 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, 2017,
as "World Prematurity Day," a chance to raise awareness about
the topic of prematurity in birth 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, premature birth happens
when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation or more than
three weeks before the due date; and
WHEREAS, Preterm birth can happen to any pregnant woman, and
in approximately 4 out of every 10 cases the cause is unknown;
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and
WHEREAS, There are three groups of women who have the
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 patient group
among children, and the number of preterm births is increasing
even as the total number of overall births is steadily
decreasing; and
WHEREAS, Worldwide approximately 1 in every 10 babies is born
premature, and every year approximately 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 54th 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 2016 preterm birth rate of 9.6%, Pennsylvania
received a "C" on its report card, indicating improvement in the
past years, yet the need for a reduction in the number of
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preterm births in this Commonwealth still exists; and
WHEREAS, Although babies may survive preterm birth, some may
require special medical care requiring weeks or months of
hospitalization, and these babies often face adverse health
conditions over the course of their lives, including chronic
respiratory problems, cerebral palsy, a higher risk of a
learning disability, 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; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, more than 380,000 preterm births occurred
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 on the need to develop better
screening tests that identify women likely to give birth early
as well as treatments that can be used to interrupt the cascade
of events leading to prematurity; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize
November 17, 2017, as "World Prematurity Day" in Pennsylvania
and acknowledge the serious public health concern of prematurity
in birth and the compelling need to reduce the incidence of
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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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