Even though we have beaten polio, the fight to save babies goes on. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health. Things like: prematurity, birth defects and low birthweight.
Premature Birth
Each year, more than 460,000 babies (1 in 8) are born too soon, some so small they can fit in the palm of a hand. Many of these babies must fight just to survive; others must struggle with lifelong health problems. No one knows the causes of nearly half of all premature births, and no one is working harder than the March of Dimes to find out.
Genetic Research
Genetic birth defects leave our children unable to walk, to hear, to think, or even to fight off disease. March of Dimes investments in genetic research already are starting to yield results. For example, two March of Dimes-funded grantees have used gene therapy successfully in treating hemophilia and retinitis pigmentosa in the lab, giving hope that we are closer to a cure for these genetic birth defects.
Parent Education
The March of Dimes helps expectant parents know what to worry about and what not to worry about when it comes to having a healthy baby. Our Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education CenterSM on the web features articles on topics ranging from prenatal testing and nutrition during pregnancy, to questions and answers on various birth defects. We also address the topic of loss with an array of bereavement materials. In addition, the Center also provides an e-mail service staffed by Health Information Specialists who are available to answer questions big and small. A wide variety of brochures, booklets and mama, an annual magazine full of practical and fun information for parents-to-be, are also available through the Center.
Health Care
No parents should have to choose between feeding their child and buying the medicines he or she needs. Yet, today, more than 9 million children are uninsured. For many of these children, this means they can't get preventive checkups, immunizations, or treatment for common childhood illnesses. The March of Dimes is fighting so that all babies, children and women get health insurance.
A History of Success
President Franklin Roosevelt established the March of Dimes in 1938 to save America's youth from polio. His premise was that people can solve any problem if they work together. He created a partnership of volunteers and researchers, and within 17 years, the Salk vaccine had been developed and polio was on the run.
That dynamic partnership has endured and it's what makes the March of Dimes work. With the help and support of the American people, the March of Dimes has saved the lives of millions of babies over the past 64 years. And we won't stop until we reach the day when every baby is born healthy.
