Surgeon General Conference, Prevention of Preterm Birth, 2008

June 16-17, 2008

• Office of the Surgeon General, HHS
• Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research (DESPR), NICHD; and Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch (PPB), Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine, NICHD
• Office of Research on Women’s Health, NIH
• Office of Women’s Health, HHS
• March of Dimes
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses

Location: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Bethesda, Maryland

Purpose: Preterm birth remains one of the most complicated and difficult research and public health issues in obstetrics and pediatrics. Nearly 12 percent of all babies born in the United States are born preterm, and this rate continues to rise. The purpose of this conference, led by the Office of the Surgeon General, is to:

• Increase awareness of preterm birth in the United States;
• Review key findings and reports (including the Institute of Medicine Report Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences and Prevention ) issued by experts in the field; and
• Establish an agenda for activities in both the public and private sectors to mitigate this public health problem.