With Colder Months Approaching, Survey Finds Women Say Fall and Winter Are Best for Baby Making

BEDFORD, Mass., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced a new survey indicates that for millions of women, the ultimate nine-month adventure may be getting underway this fall.  In the survey, nearly 60 percent of moms said fall and winter are the best time to conceive a baby. To help them chronicle each one of those 40 weeks, the Company has launched MamaMemoirs: The Journey from Due Date to Play Date, a multimedia online pregnancy journal.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, click:  http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/hologic/39363/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101014/MM81431 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101014/MM81431 )

MamaMemoirs is a lighthearted, fresh and fun program with a serious goal in mind: to help women remain aware throughout their pregnancy of the importance of delivering as close as possible to their due date.

"Each and every one of the 40 weeks of pregnancy is vital, which is why it is so concerning that preterm birth has been on the rise in recent years," says Ashley Roman, MD, FACOG, a faculty member at the New York University School of Medicine who specializes in high-risk obstetrics. "This new online journal is a fun way for moms-to-be to chronicle their experiences while also keeping an eye on very serious health considerations."

The survey asked 1,003 women who have been pregnant for their attitudes on conception and delivery. Although the women agreed on the best time to conceive, there was less agreement on the best time to deliver. Just 34 percent of moms correctly identified that delivery after 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered full-term and 25 percent said if given a choice, the "earlier the better" for the baby's arrival.

Based on personal experience, Angela Davids understands the value of connecting thousands of women at risk of preterm birth each month through the online community she created at KeepEmCookin.com. "No woman wants to think that something could go wrong with her pregnancy, so this program is a gentle way of helping women become more educated about the possibility of preterm labor."

Pregnancy Journal for the Online Mom

Nearly three-quarters of the moms surveyed said they did not keep a pregnancy journal – with more than 40 percent saying they did not have enough time and 35 percent saying they wished they had kept a journal. MamaMemoirs puts the process online in a fun, efficient and fast program designed by the makers of the popular Lil Grams online baby books. The program is available on Facebook through the MamaMemoirs page.

MamaMemoirs guides moms-to-be through the creation of a keepsake journal using a variety of "grams" or entries that cover everything from the latest ultrasound photos to the most recent addition to the nursery. The program is fully social media enabled, allowing moms to do everything from announcing the pregnancy to sharing the first photos from the hospital all from their MamaMemoirs dashboard. When their journal is complete, all the entries can be converted into a printed keepsake.

"Many women want to journal their pregnancy experience, but don't have the time," says Davids. "MamaMemoirs makes it simple to do that, and also share announcements and updates with friends and family on Twitter and Facebook. It lets them make the most of what we all hope will be a full 40 weeks of pregnancy."

Understanding Preterm Labor

A baby born before 37 weeks is considered premature. One in eight babies in the U.S. fall into that category. Premature babies face an increased risk of health and developmental problems that continue after birth.

The most common risk factors for preterm delivery include: a previous preterm birth, a multiple pregnancy, previous miscarriage, cervical or uterine abnormalities and conception via in vitro fertilization. Other health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can also put a mom-to-be at higher risk. Many women who deliver early show no known risk factors. The symptoms of preterm labor include contractions every 10 minutes or more often, leaking of amniotic fluid or bleeding and unusual pressure, cramping or backache among others. A simple test can be used to determine who may be at risk for preterm delivery.

About the Hologic fFN Test

Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a "glue-like" protein that bonds a developing baby to its mother's uterus. Fetal fibronectin is detectable in vaginal secretions in the very beginning of pregnancy, when this bond is first forming, and then again at the end of pregnancy, when a woman's body is getting ready to deliver her baby.

A fFN test is a safe, reliable, non-invasive test, similar to a Pap test, which can help a doctor tell if a woman's body may be getting ready for delivery. After the 35th week of pregnancy, the fFN protein begins to break down naturally and is detectable. If a woman's body is getting ready to give birth prematurely, fFN may be detected before week 35. fFN testing is approved for use in women from weeks 22 to 35 of pregnancy. Only a doctor or nurse-midwife can determine whether the test is needed.

About the Survey

The survey of a random sample of 1,003 non-adoptive moms, aged 30-55, was conducted online by Impulse Research in September 2010. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3% at the 95% level of confidence.

About Hologic, Inc.

Hologic, Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women. Hologic's core business units are focused on breast health, diagnostics, GYN surgical, and skeletal health. Hologic provides a comprehensive suite of technologies with products for mammography and breast biopsy, radiation treatment for early-stage breast cancer, cervical cancer screening, treatment for menorrhagia, permanent contraception, osteoporosis assessment, preterm birth risk assessment, mini C-arm for extremity imaging and molecular diagnostic products including HPV and reagents for a variety of DNA and RNA analysis applications. For more information, visit www.hologic.com.

Hologic and Rapid fFN are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

Forward Looking Disclaimer

This News Release contains forward-looking information that involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including statements about Hologic's fFn test and its anticipated benefits. There can be no assurance the test will achieve the anticipated benefits described herein, or that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient as the actual effect of the use of the test can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances and patient in question.  The risks and uncertainties described above are not exhaustive. Other factors that could adversely affect the Company's business and prospects are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to the data or statements presented herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such data or statements are based.

SOURCE Hologic, Inc.