Banding Together - March of Dimes

Alana & Alexa were born at 18 weeks gestation -- 22 weeks premature. I created virtual bands to help support the March of Dimes in their goal to save babies. If you would like to make a donation in memory of Alana & Alexa, the following are links to their bands:

• Alana: http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/b.asp?band_id=38073
• Alexa: http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/b.asp?band_id=38075

Thank you for supporting March of Dimes prematurity research and for donating in memory of Alana & Alexa.

Prematurity is the #1 cause of newborn death. One out of eight babies is born prematurely in the U.S. Prematurity has signficantly increased over the past two decades, almost 30 percent since 1981. Of almost half of all premature births, there is no known cause. Being a mom who has lost her babies to prematurity, I deeply feel the importance of helping with this kind of research to prevent other moms from having to feel the pain of losing their babies without a reason or a cure.

The March of Dimes is determined to prevent premature deliveries through education and research. Researchers have made some progress in learning the causes of prematurity. Medical experts now may be able to develop more ways to stop chemical issues that may lead to premature birth. More research on forms of genes that may increase the risk of preterm labor may provide improved screening tests. If the causes of premature birth can be better understood, then new ways to prevent it can be developed.

Please take the time to read more about prematurity on the March of Dimes website: http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21191.asp.