Thank you to everyone who came out Saturday, May 5 to walk with the Healthy Start Coalition for the 2012 First Coast March for Babies! We raised over $2,000 for the March of Dimes, which will support research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives.

The March of Dimes supports many of the Coalition’s community-based programs such as the Camellia Project, funds the statewide 39 Weeks initiative, and provides other support and educational materials to the Coalition.

This year we walked for Lyla Grace, born at 33 weeks on March 30, 2011 to Meredith (Chartrand), a member of the Healthy Start Board of Directors, and Mark Frisch. Her photo was posted on “Celebration Avenue,” a new feature at the walk that showcased success stories. Only 4lbs, 14 oz at birth, Lyla recently celebrated her first birthday!

Check out the pictures from the event:

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As newborn addiction to prescription medication — neonatal abstinence syndrom (NAS) – becomes more of a priority in hospitals, public health organizations and government, a new national study  published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows the issue deserves the attention: the number of addicted babies has tripled in just one decade.

The study found that between 2000 and 2009, the incidence of NAS among newborns increased from 1.20 to 3.39 per 1000 hospital births per year. Newborns with NAS were more likely than all other hospital births to have low birthweight and respiratory complications.

Hospital charges for newborns with NAS also rose — from $39,400 in 2000 to $53,400 in 2009.

In 2010, nearly nine out of every 1,000 babies born in Jacksonville and the four surrounding counties experienced newborn withdrawal, compared to six out of every 1,000 statewide. Long Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stays are the norm, as the babies can take days, weeks or months to fully detox.

Due to the high rates of NAS, a Statewide Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse and Newborns was created through HB227 in the 2012 legislature. The Task Force, which met for the first time April 24, includes representatives from both Healthy Start and the March of Dimes (see below for a full list of Task Force members).

Pam Bondi, the state Attorney General who pushed for the creation of the Task Force, released as statement in response to the JAMA study: “This national study specifically refers to the establishment of Florida’s Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse and Newborns, and I believe that we can become a model for the country on how to tackle this devastating health epidemic and protect newborns.”

Also related to this issue, the March of Dimes Florida Chapter is requesting proposals for a statewide summit, which will focus on effective strategies, services and programs that will address presciption drug use in pregnancy and NAS. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2012, and the summit must occur in the 2012 calendar year. More information is available here: Application Cover Sheet, Objectives, Activities and Outcomes Form, Application Guidelines, Grant Agreement and Budget Form.

Task Force Members:

• Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi
• State Surgeon General Dr. Steven L. Harris
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald M. Bailey
• Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Elizabeth Dudak
• Department of Children & Families Secretary David Wilkins
• Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos
• March of Dimes Assistant State Director Keith Nash
• Dr. Robert Yelverton
• Pediatrix Medical Group Medical Director Dr. Kenneth Solomon
• Florida Nurses Association Executive Director Willa Fuller
• Dr. David Dixon
• Senator Joe Negron
• Representative Dana Young
• BayCare Behavioral Health Executive Director Doug Leonardo
• Healthy Start Executive Director Jane Murphy

The national teen birth rate declined to 34.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 — a 9 percent decrease from 2009 to 2010 and a historic low. Florida also saw a significant decline to 32.8 births per 1000 women aged 15-19, while Northeast Florida (36.5 births) remains higher than the state and nation.

The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows that sexual activity is not decreasing but contraceptive use is on the rise — linking the teen birth rate decline specifically to increased contracepting.

The survey collected data from teens between two time periods: June 2006-June 2008 and July 2008-2010. The surveys showed a dramatic increase in contraceptive use:

Read Guttmacher’s analysis of the NSFG survey results here.

In conjunction with the release of the highly anticipated movie, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting,” the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions (FAHSC) will be placing movie ads in select theaters statewide to promote the Association’s 39 Weeks public education campaign highlighting the importance of the last weeks of pregnancy and discouraging elective deliveries prior to the 39 week threshold. These on-screen ads can be seen prior to the the movie’s start with the preview and will be placed in the seven priority counties, Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Sarasota and Santa Rosa, and in Orange County.

Three of Northeast Florida’s theaters will also feature the advertisements – Hollywood River City Theater on City Center Boulevard, Tinseltown USA on Southside Boulevard and Orange Park 24 with IMAX on Wells Road. The 15-second spot runs for 5 weeks, beginning May 18  with the movie’s premiere.

What To Expect When You’re Expecting, inspired by the popular book by Heidi Murkoff, stars Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Anna Kendrick and Chance Crawford, among others. Watch the trailer:

The 39 Weeks Florida campaign, funded by the March of Dimes Florida Chapter, is part of the March of Dimes’ national Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait initiative aimed at reducing non-medically necessary elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks gestation. For more information on the 39 Weeks campaign, visit the campaign website and follow 39 Weeks on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Mark your Calendars! Healthy Start’s 3rd annual Rounds at the Grounds: Basesball for Babies returns August 5, 2012!