New Iowa State mothers can expect another delivery soon from the Student Health Advisory Committee.

This week, SHAC will be delivering care packages to ISU students who gave birth between February and the beginning of April. SHAC is comprised of about 12 students who plan promotional events to promote healthy living.

The care packages are being delivered in observance of World Health Day, Tuesday, April 7. World Health Day has been observed on that date for 48 years by the World Health Organization. This year, it will address the theme “Invest in the Future: Support Safe Motherhood.”

Jamie Krambeer, SHAC health education intern and senior in journalism and mass communication, said the care packages contain fruit, donated literature and a donation from Birthright, 108 Hayward Ave.

Krambeer said the literature, donated by Ames Women Infants and Children (WIC), contains information about breast feeding and maternal health care. The Margaret Sloss Women’s Center also donated $25 to help fill the baskets, she said.

SHAC obtained the names of the new mothers through area nurses and doctors.

“We had a nurse contact the students who had been going [to the Student Health Center] for their prenatal care and ask them if they wanted to receive a present,” she said.

Then, SHAC members called the mothers and asked when they could deliver the care packages, Krambeer said.

About 15 students will receive care packages, Krambeer said.

According to a press release, the project’s goal is “to establish community and campus awareness about the importance of maternal and infant health and to support efforts to improve the quality of services in this area.”

Mary Engstrom, health education coordinator for the Student Health Center, said the committee wanted to help new mothers adjust.

“Sometimes these students need a little bit of support and a warm welcome,” she said.

Krambeer said SHAC wants to “raise awareness about safe pregnancy” and inform students about the “risks of being pregnant.” She also said women need support systems to take care of them and families need to learn how to take care of pregnant women.

According to a press release from the Health Education Department, 6 million American women become pregnant each year, and more than 4 million women deliver a baby. Women in more than one third of these deliveries experience complications either during pregnancy or birth.

Krambeer said the major causes of pregnancy-related deaths are hemorrhages, preeclampsia and eclampsia — which are types of high blood pressure unique to pregnancy — and blood clots in the lungs.

“These conditions have been the leading causes of death due to pregnancy for more than 20 years,” she said.

SHAC is also sponsoring a World Health Day booth, Krambeer said, which will be set up today on the first floor of the Memorial Union near the spiral staircase from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The booth will contain cards about motherhood and prenatal care and brochures from WIC for new and expectant mothers, Krambeer said. “Goody packs” containing Tylenol, Imodium AD and other products will also be available at the booth for students who stop by.