Oral

Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait/HBWW, a 3-year, ecological design, national model initiative to prevent preterm birth (PTB), is a partnership among March of Dimes, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, and the Kentucky Department for Public Health. Designed to reduce rates of singleton PTB by 15% in three targeted KY intervention sites, HBWW works with perinatal providers, public health workers, and community partners to provide information and bundled, evidence-based care to promote healthy, full-term pregnancies. Although the US PTB rate decreased in 2007, it remains 67% higher than the 7.6% HP2010 objective, there are >540,000 PTBs annually, and PTB is the leading cause of neonatal/infant mortality. HBWW targets late PTB (34-36 weeks), which represent ¾ of all PTBs and are responsible for most of the PTB increases in the US/KY. Babies born just a few weeks early experience many more problems as infants, children and adults than term babies.

Session Objectives: * List at least 5 modifiable behavioral, environmental, psychosocial and clinical practice related risk factors associated with increasing rates of late preterm birth in KY and the US * Describe the 3 partners, at least 2 public health and 2 clinical interventions, and 3 preliminary outcomes of Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait (HBWW) * Present some of the changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to preterm birth for pregnant women and their providers between 2007 and 2009 in the HBWW intervention and comparison sites. * Discuss several public health policies and action plans that have been identified through HBWW that can help to prevent preterm birth.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)