1999

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-035

BY SENATORS Evans, Linkhart, Nichol, Pascoe, Phillips, and Thiebaut;

also REPRESENTATIVES Gotlieb, Alexander, Berry, Chavez, Clarke, Coleman, Gagliardi, Gordon, Hagedorn, Hefley, Hoppe, Kaufman, Kester, Leyba, Mace, May, Miller, Morrison, Plant, Ragsdale, Scott, Stengel, Swenson, Tapia, Tate, Taylor, Tochtrop, Veiga, Vigil, S. Williams, Windels, Witwer, and Zimmerman.

CONCERNING THE COLORADO PRETERM BIRTH PREVENTION PROJECT 1999.

WHEREAS, Preterm birth is a major cause of infant mortality and, for those infants that survive, preterm birth may result in numerous health threats; and

WHEREAS, Fifty­three percent of neonatal deaths that occur in Colorado are due to extreme preterm birth or preterm birth­related respiratory problems; and

WHEREAS, Preterm birth can result in long­term health problems for some children, which causes great stress for families; and

WHEREAS, Preterm birth is one of the factors that contributes to the rate of low birth weight infants (infants born at a weight of less than 5 2 pounds) in Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The low birth weight rate in Colorado in 1997 was the sixth worst in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Low birth weight infants are forty times more likely to die than infants of normal weight and very low birth rate infants (infants born at a weight of less than 3 a pounds) are two hundred times more likely to die than infants of normal weight; and

WHEREAS, The cost of preterm birth accounts for 57% of direct nursery costs, and annually $3.5 billion is spent on medical care for preterm birth babies in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Prevention of preterm birth is an issue of concern to most women of childbearing age; and

WHEREAS, Most citizens, including physicians and other health care providers, could benefit from additional research concerning the prevention, detection, and treatment of preterm labor; and

WHEREAS, Educating the general public and the health care community about preterm birth is of paramount importance and benefits all residents of the state of Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The Colorado Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, Newborn Hope, the March of Dimes, the COPIC Insurance Company, the Colorado Academy of Family Practice, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives have joined together as the Colorado Preterm Birth Prevention Project 1999 to establish and implement such an educational program throughout the state of Colorado; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

(1)  That the General Assembly hereby recognizes the need to prevent preterm birth through public awareness, education of prenatal care service providers, and education of pregnant and childbearing­age women.

(2)  That preventing preterm birth is a top priority of the state of Colorado in order to ensure the health and welfare of Colorado families and children.

(3)  That the members of the Colorado Preterm Birth Prevention Project 1999 be recognized and commended for their efforts.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Colorado Preterm Birth Prevention Project 1999.

_________________________ _________________________

Ray Powers Russell George

PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

_________________________ _________________________

Patricia K. Dicks Judith M. Rodrigue

SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES