Experts Help Educate Hispanic Women About Pregnancy

 OCTOBER 5, 2006– (left to right) Dr. Isabel Gomez-Bassols (“Doctora Isabel”) of Radio Cadena Univision based in Miami; Dr. Aliza Lifshitz (“Doctora Aliza”) of Univision TV and radio based Los Angeles; Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes; Dr. Jesus Jaile-Marti, director of Neonatalogy and Newborn Services at White Plains (NY) Medical Center; and Dr. Yvette Martas, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, at the March of Dimes Hispanic Media Luncheon, “Hispanic Mom’s and Babies: Pregnancy Risk Factors for America’s Fastest Growing Population.”

March of Dimes Reaches Out To America’s Fastest Growing Population

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., OCTOBER 5, 2006 – As part of its ongoing efforts to reach out to America’s fastest growing population, the March of Dimes will host its second annual Hispanic luncheon today.

Experts from the Hispanic community will participate in a panel discussion called: “Hispanic Moms and Babies: Pregnancy Risk Factors for America's Fastest Growing Population" as part of the March of Dimes recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The participants include:

Dr. Isabel Gomez-Bassols, who hosts the immensely popular live call-in talk show “Doctora Isabel” on RadioCadena Univision in Miami, is a psychologist and educator who is nationally recognized as an expert on issues affecting Hispanic children and their parents. She has written several self-help books aimed specifically at the Hispanic community.

Dr. Aliza Lifshitz of Univision Television in Los Angeles, is in private practice at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She is the medical editor for Univision’s Primer Impacto, hosts E! Consultorio de la Dra. Aliza on Univision Radio, and is health columnist for La Opinion. She also authored the first bilingual guide to pregnancy and childbirth.

Dr. Jesus Jaile-Marti, Chief of the Division of Neonatology and Newborn Services at White Plains (NY) Medical Center, also is the father of a premature child. In April 1996, Dr. Jaile-Marti’s wife Diane, only 26 weeks pregnant, went into preterm labor and gave birth to their fourth child. Their son, Francisco, was born weighing 1 pound, 7 ounces.

Dr. Yvette Martas, Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Martas’ many clinical responsibilities include providing gynecological care to NYU students and working as the obstetrician for the Teen Pregnancy Clinic at Bellevue Hospital. Dr. Martas also serves as the Coordinator for NYU’s International Health Program in Honduras.

Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and Hispanic woman of childbearing age (15-44 years) give birth to nearly one-quarter of the babies born in the United States each year. Nearly one out of every eight Hispanic babies is born too soon. While the preterm birth rate for Hispanics is similar to rate for the general population, it has grown more than 8 percent in the last decade.

Prematurity is the leading killer of newborns in America and babies who survive often face the risk of lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy and mental retardation, chronic lung disease, and vision and hearing loss, as well as other developmental problems.

The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For more information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org for Spanish.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.