As you may or may not know, November is Prematurity Awareness Month! Premature birth is the #1 killer of babies in the U.S., and we have one of the highest rates of preterm birth of any developed country.
The Brittain family from Bowie can address the emotional toll preterm birth has on families and the health consequences it has on babies. Their daughter Nia was born 12 weeks early and spent months in the NICU. You can watch her grow from just 2 pounds at birth in an isolette in this Examiner story. African American babies in D.C. are 68% more likely to be born premature than Caucasian babies. Nia is one of these babies that overcame the risks associated with an early birth.
Along with the Brittains, Dr. Mary Revenis, neonatologist at Children’s National Health System, can participate in interviews throughout November.
In addition, November 17 is also World Prematurity Day when countries around the world focus attention on premature birth as the leading cause of death for newborns in the U.S. and for children under 5 worldwide. The Capital Wheel at National Harbor will be lit purple for preemies on this tribute day.