,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #dcf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november 
#ba1 #bjai,mr4 ,brown 7for himself and  
,mr4 ,isakson7 submitted the following  
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,health1 ,education1      
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,,resolution     
,supporting the goals1 activities1 and  
ideals of ,prematurity ,awareness       
,month4  ,whereas1 according to the     
,world ,health ,organization1           
complications of preterm birth are now  
the leading cause of death among        
children under #e years of age          
worldwide2 ,whereas approximately       
#a1jjj1jjj children die each year due to
 complications of preterm birth2        
,whereas preterm birth is a global      
problem that exacts a toll on families  
from all parts of society in every      
country2 ,whereas many complications of 
preterm birth may have lifelong         
consequences for the health1 growth1 and
 development of infants2 ,whereas up to 

#ge percent of deaths resulting from    
preterm birth worldwide can be prevented
 through proven cost-effective          
strategies to promote full-term births  
and improve the care of preterm infants2
 ,whereas countries can improve maternal
 health and the survival rate of babies 
born prematurely by making strategic    
investments in health care systems to   
ensure access to high-quality           
pre-pregnancy care1 prenatal care1      
childbirth services1 emergency obstetric
 care1 postnatal care1 and comprehensive
 care for affected newborns2 ,whereas   
the preterm birth rate in the ,united   
,states has worsened for four           
consecutive years1 rising from #i4fc    
percent in #bjae to #aj4jb percent in   
#bjah2 ,whereas there are significant   
racial and ethnic disparities in preterm
 birth rates among many communities in  
the ,united ,states2 ,whereas there are 
disparities in preterm birth rates      
globally1 with lower-income families at 
the highest risk of having a child      

preterm2 ,whereas many preterm births   
can be prevented through evidence-based 
public health programs focused on       
reducing risk factors such as tobacco   
use1 closely spaced pregnancies1 and    
early elective deliveries2 and ,whereas1
 in the ,united ,states and around the  
world1 ,november is recognized as       
,prematurity ,awareness ,month3 ,now1   
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,senate--   
7#a7 supports the recognition of        
,prematurity ,awareness ,month2  7#b7   
honors individuals working domestically 
and internationally to reduce preterm   
births2 and  7#c7 supports efforts at   
home and abroad to-- 7,a7 reduce the    
impact of preterm births by improving   
maternal health during and after        
pregnancy2  7,b7 advance the care and   
treatment of infants born preterm2 and  
7,c7 promote evidence-based strategies  
to--  7i7 prevent preterm birth and     
promote full-term births2 and  7ii7     
improve outcomes for infants born       
preterm4