Can you imagine a day when all babies
are born healthy? To make that day a
reality, MemorialCare Medical Centers and the March of Dimes joined together with
thousands of others to end prematurity —
the leading cause of newborn death. They
also seek to assist families with a newborn
in intensive care, secure health coverage for
all Californians and support Nobel Prize
winning research that identifies prevention
of and solutions for premature birth and birth
defects.
Smart Business spoke to Barry Arbuckle,
Ph.D., MemorialCare president and CEO and
chair of March for Babies 2009, the March of
Dimes largest fund-raiser, to learn more.
What’s the situation in California?
One in 10 California babies — that’s 55,000
annually — is born premature. Some are so
small you could slide an adult’s ring up to the
top of their leg. The Neonatal Intensive Care
Units at MemorialCare Medical Centers see
hundreds of these tiny newborns — more
than 1,000 annually at Miller Children’s
Hospital, Long Beach, the state’s largest children’s hospital and biggest neonatal intensive
care unit in Los Angeles, Orange and San
Diego counties. These babies struggle for
each and every breath, and it is our responsibility to fight for their lives, their health, their
families and our societal well-being.
What factors contribute to premature births?
About one in four women of childbearing
age in California has no insurance coverage,
and one in nine is a smoker. Health care
access before and during pregnancy can help
identify and manage the conditions that
contribute to premature birth. Smoking
cessation programs can reduce risks of
premature birth. The Institute of Medicine
estimates the economic cost of prematurity
at $26 billion annually — more than half
billed to employers and private insurers.
How does California rank among the rest of
the nation?
In the March of Dimes Premature Birth
Report Card, California received a ‘C’ and the
nation a ‘D’ on the numbers of premature
births. While our state rates among the top 10
percent in the U.S., we need to further fund
research to uncover causes of premature
birth that lead to prevention strategies and
better outcomes and promote workplaces
that support maternal and infant health.
In what ways does the March of Dimes help?
As the leading nonprofit organization for
pregnancy and baby health, the March of
Dimes improves the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and
infant mortality. Health facilities like Miller
Children’s Hospital can take advantage of
its Preterm Labor Assessment Toolkit that
standardizes assessment for women who
come to a hospital with signs and symptoms
of premature labor. The March of Dimes
spearheads life-saving research and forums
for promoting optimal health before and
between pregnancies. Its prenatal programs
include volunteer health education for
African-American churches and prenatal
education sessions for Latina women. Miller
Children’s Hospital is the first Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit in California to receive a
grant from March of Dimes to offer 24-7
education, comfort and support activities for
families during and following stays in the
neonatal intensive care unit — more than 700
families have been helped in the last year.
How can employers create a family-friendly
workplace?
Our children’s health is our first priority.
March of Dimes suggests offering employees
information on preconception, prenatal,
postnatal and infant care as well as healthy
pregnancy and childbirth through classes,
brochures, e-mail or directed Web sites;
providing an environment that is smoke-,
drug- and toxin-free; encouraging health
activities like walking, healthy food choices
and fitness resources; and ensuring scheduling flexibility that allows time off for prenatal
and pediatric appointments. Employers may
also provide reasonable physical accommodations for pregnant employees, such as a
place to rest when needed and a private area
where lactating women can pump and store
breast milk, and offer health insurance
coverage with comprehensive preconception, prenatal, childbirth and postnatal care,
including immunizations and maternal
depression screening, or facilitating through
a liaison the application for insurance
through state or private agencies.
Employers can register for the complimentary March of Dimes Healthy Babies Healthy
Business work site wellness education at
marchofdimes.com/hbhb.
How else can employers help?
Southern California businesses, individuals, families and community groups can join
in these critical efforts on behalf of California
children by signing up for 2009 March for
Babies events April 25 in Los Angeles,
Riverside and Victorville; April 26 in Newport
Beach; and May 16 in Simi Valley by calling
(800) 525-9255 or at marchforbabies.org. Or
contact me directly and we’ll help you to
participate in these events that support the
important work of the March of Dimes.
BARRY ARBUCKLE, Ph.D., is president and CEO of MemorialCare Medical Centers (www.memorialcare.org) and past chair of the
California Hospital Association. Reach him at [email protected] or (562) 933-9708. MemorialCare Medical Centers include
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Anaheim Memorial
Medical Center, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach and Saddleback Memorial Medical
Center in San Clemente.
