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From the President
Prematurity and Preconception Care
By Nan Streeter, MS, RN
We all know that premature births are on the rise in spite of technological and pharmaceutical advances in the field. We have worked hard to promote the importance of prenatal care to assure healthy outcomes for mothers and their newborns. However, it is clear that prenatal care is too late to prevent poor pregnancy outcomes like prematurity. Instead, we need to redirect our efforts to promote and assure that women of childbearing ages receive preconception health care BEFORE conception. [read more]
From the CEO
Transition Time
By Mike R. Fraser, PhD
It is hard to describe the mood in Washington this week but there is definitely something different in the air. The election of our nation’s first African American president brings excitement, a sense of possibility, and yes even elation to what is usually a very staid, suit-and-tie, tradition-bound city. Riding the subway to work the morning after the election was like attending a party on wheels – people were talking, sharing their newspapers, reflecting on the importance of what just happened and normally reserved Washingtonians looked at each other and smiled. [read more]
Get Involved
Online Registration Now Available!
Register today online to attend AMCHP’s Annual Conference to convene on February 21-25, 2009, in Washington, DC.
AMCHP February Board Meeting
The next AMCHP Board Meeting will be held during our Annual Conference on Saturday, February 21 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks. Board Members who will be attending should RSVP to Nora Lam or call (202) 775-0436.
AMCHP Business Meeting
All members, partners and staff are invited to attend a business meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. during our Annual Conference.
Member to Member
We asked two members the following question: In your opinion, where do you see the greatest opportunities in making a difference on prematurity in the U.S.? [read more]
Features
March of Dimes: Prematurity Awareness Month
By Phyllis Williams-Thompson
One in eight babies is born prematurely. Millions of these children face serious health challenges or have trouble learning in school because they were born too soon. Even the best of care can’t always spare a premature baby from lasting disabilities. And premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in the United States. Prematurity is a complicated and difficult public health problem. Like heart disease, diabetes or cancer, it will take many years to achieve significant impact, but there has been, and will be progress along the way. The March of Dimes, as the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health, is leading the way in finding solutions to the problems that threaten babies. [read more]
Advancing Public Health Surveillance, Practice, and Training to Improve Preconception Health
By Kay Johnson, MPH, EdM
Last month, CDC reported that, while data from the preliminary mortality file suggest a two percent decline in the infant mortality rate from 2005 to 2006, the U.S. infant mortality rate did not decline significantly overall or for any race/ethnicity group from 2000 to 2005 – meaning that disparities by race and ethnicity persisted. (MacDorman and Mathews, 2008) This is one indicator of the need for preconception health and health care, of the need for attention to women’s health beyond prenatal care. [read more]
Policy and Finance Strategies to Promote Preconception Health and Health Care
By Kay Johnson, MPH, EdM
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made recommendations for improving preconception health and health care aimed at achieving four goals (Johnson et al., 2006). These recommendations recognized the importance of policy and finance changes. In 2007, a Policy and Finance Workgroup — representing an array of organizations including professional associations, academic institutions, and government agencies — was launched to support implementation of these recommendations. [read more]
AMCHP’s New Initiative: Preconception Care and Adolescent Women
By Stacey Cunningham, Associate Director for Women’s and Infant Health, AMCHP and Sharron Corle, Associate Director for Adolescent Health, AMCHP
There is increasing emphasis on preconception care in the maternal and child health community. What does this mean, however, for adolescent women – for whom we’ve been so actively trying to prevent conception? Furthermore, health habits initiated during adolescence can have a great impact on future health – and future pregnancy outcomes. Risk behaviors such as use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs contribute potential threats to the health of young women. [read more]