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What better affirmation of life and health is there than the smiling face of a baby?
You may have noticed the big ad we've been running over the past few days featuring 20 of the cutest babies you'll ever see.
They are the contestants in the News Tribune's 2012 Cutest Baby Contest and each and every one of them is a well-qualified contender for the title.
Unfortunately, not every baby born into our world is the picture of health, however. Many of them don't even have a chance to smile for the camera.
According to the March of Dimes, in 2007, approximately seven in 1,000 babies born in West Virginia did not make it to their first birthday. Some of the leading causes of infant deaths include birth defects, prematurity or low birthweight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), maternal complications during pregnancy and respiratory distress syndrome.
Additionally, in the United States, 543,000 babies – or one out of every eight - are born too soon each year, giving the country a higher rate of premature births than most other developed nations.
The National Center for Health Statistics gives the United States a grade of “C” in preterm birth rates. West Virginia has a D.
Thanks to advances in medicine and the work of organizations such as the March of Dimes, however, the infant mortality rate has decreased 24 percent between 1997 and 2007. The rate continues to decline.
We here at the News Tribune recognize the vital part the March of Dimes plays in helping decrease that mortality rate. We are therefore dedicating 15 percent of the proceeds of our Cutest Baby Contest to the organization in hopes that it might help take that rate down even farther. If our efforts help even one baby have a long, healthy and happy life, then it is well worth it.
And notice we said “our efforts.” That includes you, our readers, whom we invite to become involved by casting your votes for your favorite Cutest Baby.
You may vote by going to our website, www.newstribune.info, and clicking on the 2012 Cutest Baby banner. You must register in order to vote, and votes may be purchased ($5 for five votes, $10 for ten votes, $15 for 20 votes, etc.) by debit or credit card.
If you do not have access to the Internet, please stop by the News Tribune office at 21 Shamrock Dr. (across from Pizza Hut) and we'll help you cast your votes.
The winner of the contest will receive $200, but the real winners will be the thousands of babies throughout West Virginia and the United States who will have a better chance at life thanks to your support of the March of Dimes.
What better affirmation of life and health is there than the smiling face of a baby?
You may have noticed the big ad we've been running over the past few days featuring 20 of the cutest babies you'll ever see.
They are the contestants in the News Tribune's 2012 Cutest Baby Contest and each and every one of them is a well-qualified contender for the title.
Unfortunately, not every baby born into our world is the picture of health, however. Many of them don't even have a chance to smile for the camera.
According to the March of Dimes, in 2007, approximately seven in 1,000 babies born in West Virginia did not make it to their first birthday. Some of the leading causes of infant deaths include birth defects, prematurity or low birthweight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), maternal complications during pregnancy and respiratory distress syndrome.
Additionally, in the United States, 543,000 babies – or one out of every eight - are born too soon each year, giving the country a higher rate of premature births than most other developed nations.
The National Center for Health Statistics gives the United States a grade of “C” in preterm birth rates. West Virginia has a D.
Thanks to advances in medicine and the work of organizations such as the March of Dimes, however, the infant mortality rate has decreased 24 percent between 1997 and 2007. The rate continues to decline.
We here at the News Tribune recognize the vital part the March of Dimes plays in helping decrease that mortality rate. We are therefore dedicating 15 percent of the proceeds of our Cutest Baby Contest to the organization in hopes that it might help take that rate down even farther. If our efforts help even one baby have a long, healthy and happy life, then it is well worth it.
And notice we said “our efforts.” That includes you, our readers, whom we invite to become involved by casting your votes for your favorite Cutest Baby.
You may vote by going to our website, www.newstribune.info, and clicking on the 2012 Cutest Baby banner. You must register in order to vote, and votes may be purchased ($5 for five votes, $10 for ten votes, $15 for 20 votes, etc.) by debit or credit card.
If you do not have access to the Internet, please stop by the News Tribune office at 21 Shamrock Dr. (across from Pizza Hut) and we'll help you cast your votes.
The winner of the contest will receive $200, but the real winners will be the thousands of babies throughout West Virginia and the United States who will have a better chance at life thanks to your support of the March of Dimes.
