McClellan, Kiggans and Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Designate November as Prematurity Awareness Month

Washington, D.C. -​​ Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Jennifer Kiggans (VA-02)and Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced H.Res. 877, a bipartisan resolution to recognize November as Prematurity Awareness Month.

Preterm birth poses severe health risks to mothers and their children, exacerbating our nation's infant and maternal health crisis. Due to longstanding gaps in health equity, Black and Native American women are 62 percent more likelyto have a preterm birth compared to white women and disproportionately bear the brunt of these worsening health outcomes. This resolution establishes a nationwide observance of Prematurity Awareness Month to spread awareness of this issue and encourage parents and communities to support preterm birth prevention programs.

"My daughter Samantha was born nine weeks prematurely. She spent six weeks in the NICU, and her birth nearly killed both of us," said Congresswoman McClellan. "Preterm births can happen to anyone - but communities of color face greater health disparities and experience them at alarmingly higher rates. If we want to address our infant and maternal health crisis, we must start with raising awareness and sharing resources. During my time as a state legislator, I championed legislation to designate November as Prematurity Awareness Month in Virginia. Now, I'm committed to carrying on these efforts at the federal level. I thank the women lawmakers who have joined me in this fight."

"Every baby deserves a healthy start and every family deserves our support. As a nurse practitioner, I've seen firsthand the emotional and financial toll that premature birth can take. This month is about raising awareness, promoting research, and ensuring parents never have to face these challenges alone. I am proud to join Congresswoman McClellan in introducing this resolution to designate November as Prematurity Awareness Month. We must all increase our commitment to improving maternal and infant health outcomes and to shine a light on the resilient families and dedicated providers who fight for our littlest patients every single day," said Congresswoman Kiggans, Vice-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus.

"We need to prioritize mothers before, during, and after labor to ensure that every baby has the opportunity for a strong, healthy start in life," said Congresswoman Kelly, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. "As a legislator who first raised the issue of maternal mortality and rung the alarm bell for over a decade in Congress, I am determined to prevent premature births, ensure healthier outcomes for moms, and close the health equity gap for Black moms. When every mom receives the care they need, whole families thrive."

"Prematurity Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to focus on the needs of moms and babies nationwide, and this year's March of Dimes Report Card shows that the United States remains stuck at a D+ for the fourth consecutive year. Nearly 380,000 babies were born preterm in 2024, and we continue to see widening disparities, including worsening rates among Black moms, higher risks for families covered by Medicaid, declining early prenatal care, and rising chronic conditions that increase the likelihood of complications. These findings reinforce that too many families face preventable barriers to the care that supports a healthy pregnancy," said Stacey Y. Brayboy, SVP Public Policy and Government Affairs at March of Dimes. "We thank Representatives Jennifer McClellan, Jen Kiggans, and Robin Kelly for introducing this bipartisan Prematurity Awareness Month resolution and for keeping these issues front and center. Their leadership strengthens national efforts to advance research, expand access to care, and support policies that can reverse these trends. Working together, we can move beyond this stalled status quo and ensure every mom and baby has a fair opportunity for a healthy start."

Read the full text of H.Res. 877 here. Read the March of Dimes 2025 Report Card here.