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Category Archives: News on Premature Birth

March of Dimes 2017 Report Card Shows National Preterm Birth Rate Worsening for Second Year in a Row

By Elle Russell | Published: November 3, 2017

On November 1st, the March of Dimes kicked off Prematurity Awareness Month by releasing their ninth annual Premature Birth Report Card for the US and Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, this year’s report did not bear good news; for the second year in a row, the national premature birth rate has worsened, increasing from 9.62 percent of pregnancies in 2015 to 9.8 percent […]

Also posted in Enrichment Core F (Community Engagement) | Comments closed

March of Dimes 2016 Report Card Shows Preterm Birth Increasing Nationally while Decreasing in Puerto Rico

By Elle Russell | Published: November 14, 2016

On November 1st, the March of Dimes kicked off Prematurity Awareness Month by releasing their eighth annual Premature Birth Report Card  for the US and Puerto Rico. The report brought promising news for Puerto Rico, awarding the region a grade improvement for the first time in the report card’s history. Puerto Rico’s preterm birth rate […]

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Premature birth now #1 killer of children under 5 years old

By protect | Published: November 17, 2014

A new study the in The Lancet reports that preterm birth has surpassed infection as the #1 cause of death for children under the age of five. The study, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, found that complications due to preterm birth result in ~3,000 lives per day. The Guardian summarizes: […]

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PROTECT Researchers at UPR receive grant to promote flu vaccination for pregnant women in Puerto Rico

By Melanie Smith | Published: December 11, 2013

PROTECT Co-Director and Core C Leader, José F. Cordero, MD, MPH, and PROTECT Core C Study Director, Liza Anzalota, MD, MPH, have received a grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health to promote influenza vaccination among pregnant women in Puerto Rico during the 2013-2014 influenza […]

Also posted in Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

December Highlight: PROTECT publishes new findings on Environmental Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth

By Melanie Smith | Published: November 21, 2013

This week PROTECT Project 1 leader, John D. Meeker, ScD, and trainee Kelly Ferguson, MPH, published an article in JAMA Pediatrics on the relationship between preterm birth and chemical phthalate exposure during pregnancy. The JAMA article highlights the prevalence of preterm birth as a leading cause of neonatal mortality, and the increased odds faced by women exposed […]

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology) | Comments closed

U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act in Support of Preterm Birth Research

By Melanie Smith | Published: November 18, 2013

On November 14th, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the PREEMIE reauthorization act, which “reauthorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) research and programs on preterm birth, including improving national data tracking on preterm birth, and conducting studies. The bill also reauthorizes programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration aimed at improving the treatment and outcome […]

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March of Dimes Releases 2013 Premature Birth Score Card

By mnobrega | Published: November 1, 2013

Today the March of Dimes released it’s 2013 Premature Birth Score Card.  Puerto Rico again received an F, just one of 4 Fs in the entire U.S.  Overall the U.S. received a C. See the entire score card at http://www.marchofdimes.com/mission/prematurity-reportcard.aspx?src=edd_DEENEI_NOV2013_131101&FN=19591876 See the Puerto Rico score card at http://www.marchofdimes.com/glue/files/premature-birth-report-card-puerto-rico.pdf

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Air Pollution linked to High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

By mnobrega | Published: October 12, 2013

A recent study has linked air pollution to high blood pressure in pregnant women.  High blood pressure is one cause of premature birth.  While the work is not yet conclusive, it points to further indications of the impact of environmental health on pregnancy.  Learn more at http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/11/us-air-pollution-idUSBRE99A0J020131011

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U.S. Senate passes PREEMIE reauthorization act in support of preterm birth research

By mnobrega | Published: September 30, 2013

On September 27th the U.S. Senate passed the PREEMIE reauthorization act, which “reauthorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) research and programs on preterm birth, including improving national data tracking on preterm birth, and conducting studies. The bill also reauthorizes programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration aimed at improving the treatment […]

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PROTECT Research Highlighted on Puerto Rican TV News

By mnobrega | Published: April 12, 2013

PROTECT Core C researcher Braulio Jimenez was interviewed in a recent news story on the rate of preterm birth in Puerto Rico.  The story, presented by WAPA-TV, discussed PROTECT’s investigations into the role of environmental contamination and preterm birth. The video (in Spanish) is available here.

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

Jose Cordero quoted in Fox News Article on Preterm Birth

By mnobrega | Published: November 19, 2012

PROTECT co-director and Core C leader Jose Cordero was recently quoted in a Fox News article about the alarmingly high rate of preterm birth in Puerto Rico.  Said Dr. Cordero: “Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn death, and babies who survive face an increased risk of life-long health challenges, including cerebral palsy, breathing […]

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

World Prematurity Day

By mnobrega | Published: November 17, 2012

November 17th is World Prematurity Day.  As Jennifer Howse, President of March of Dimes notes in a recent message to supporters: Even though its preterm birth rate has declined for the 5th year in a row, the United States still ranks 131st in the world. This trend is true in Puerto Rico as well; while […]

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PREEMIE Act Reauthorization Bill Introduced In Senate, House

By mnobrega | Published: August 1, 2011

The 2006 PREEMIE Act, abbreviated from the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who Deliver Infants Early Act, developed a public-private agenda aimed at reducing preterm labor and delivery. On July 28, 2011 Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ) today introduced the PREEMIE […]

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March for Babies brings PROTECT, March of Dimes, together

By mnobrega | Published: May 20, 2011

A recently published article by El Nuevo Dia (May 16, 2011 – available here) highlighted the March for Babies held in San Juan the day before.  The march – in Spanish “Marcha Por Los Bebés” – was intended to raise awareness of preventing preterm birth in Puerto Rico.   PROTECT co-Director and Core C leader Jose Cordero, who […]

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PROTECT researchers, work profiled in Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper

By mnobrega | Published: May 9, 2011

PROTECT Core C Researchers Dr. Jose Cordero and Dr. Hernando Mattei were profiled in an article published in the May 6, 2011 edition of El Nuevo Dia, Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper. The article, entitled “Ojo a peligrosa anticipación” (“Looking at dangerous prematurity”),  focuses on the issue of preterm birth in Puerto Rico and the goals […]

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

PROTECT featured in Engineering@Northeastern

By mnobrega | Published: November 30, 2010

Northeastern University’s Engineering@Northeastern magazine (a publication of the NU College of Engineering) highlighted PROTECT research in the 2010 issue.  See page 4 of the magazine, available here, for the story.

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health | Comments closed

Preterm birth rates improve in most states

By mnobrega | Published: November 23, 2010

Eight states earned a better grade on the 2010 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card and 32 others and the District of Columbia saw their preterm birth rates improve. Overall, the United States received a “D” on the report card, when national preterm birth rates are measured against the Healthy People 2010 goals. Read […]

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Jose Cordero leads symposium on premature birth prevention strategies

By mnobrega | Published: September 10, 2010

In concert with colleagues at the March of Dimes and the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, Dr. Jose Cordero (PROTECT co-Director and Research Translation Core Leader, March of Dimes Prematurity Steering Committee Chair, and Dean of the UPRMSC Graduate School of Public Health) recently held a symposium focused on premature birth prevention strategies. […]

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, PROTECT Events and Presentations, Research Core C (Human Subjects & Sampling) | Comments closed

PROTECT profiled by Associated Press

By mnobrega | Published: May 16, 2010

Mark Melia of the Associated Press looks carefully at the background problem – the high rate of preterm birth in Puerto Rico – and what PROTECT will be studying to combat this issue…read full article.

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, PROTECT Research | Comments closed

Chemicals May Play a Role in Pre-Term Births

By mnobrega | Published: July 10, 2009

The Association of Schools of Public Health features research findings of PROTECT investigators: (ASPH Friday Letter – July 10, 2009) – A University of Michigan School of Public Health study of expectant mothers suggests that a group of common environmental contaminants called phthalates, which are present in many industrial and consumer products including everyday personal […]

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research | Comments closed

Phthalates May Play a Role in Pre-Term Births

By mnobrega | Published: July 7, 2009

July 7, 2009

Also posted in Media Coverage of PROTECT, News on Environmental Health, Project 1 (Targeted Epidemiology), PROTECT Research | Comments closed

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