More than 200 people took part Saturday in the March of Babies fundraiser at Butler County Community College. Participants raised more than $35,000 for the March of Dimes to help with healthy births. According to the organization, preterm births affect one in nine pregnancies in the U.S.

BUTLER TWP — More than 200 people came Saturday to Butler County Community College for the annual March of Babies that supports healthy babies through the March of Dimes.

The campus was filled with strollers, families and teams to raise more than $35,000 for the organization, according to a March of Dimes news release.

Special guests included the Confer Family, the 2014 Butler Ambassador Family. Four-year-old Mason Confer was born six weeks premature, weighing just 4 pounds, 15 ounces.

“It was a memorable and rewarding day for all of us,” said Nicole Confer in the release.

“When Mason was born premature, we decided to do everything we could to make sure that other families don’t go through what we did, and we were honored to be able to support the March of Dimes today in return for all the support they’ve given us.”

One in every nine U.S. infants is born preterm, but that number has gone down for six consecutive years with help from the March of Dimes.

Prematurity can lead to a host of adverse health consequences for babies and place a terrible strain on their families. The average premature birth costs 12 times as much as a healthy birth.