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Colorado receives “D” on Premature Birth Report Card for the second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, Colorado received a “D” on the Premature Birth Report Card issued by the March of Dimes. However, the state did show improvement in two key areas that affect prematurity, including the rate of smoking for childbearing-age women.

17 Nov 2009

Tel Aviv University develops innovative algorithms to combat Intra-uterine growth restrictions for healthy babies

When a fetus is smaller than expected for the number of weeks of pregnancy, due to associated problems like a poorly developed heart, health concerns as severe as brain damage can result.

11 Nov 2009

Environmental factors, obesity and diabetes: Long-term study launched

Three Singapore biomedical institutions have launched a major, long-term study of pregnant mothers and their fetuses as well as infant children to determine just how profoundly environmental factors early in life influence the onset of diseases such as obesity and diabetes in later years.

10 Nov 2009

Pregnant women unsure about getting H1N1 flu shot, shows new survey

Despite majorities expressing concern about getting the novel H1N1 (or swine) flu this year, only about one in four pregnant women or new mothers plan to get the H1N1 flu shot, according to findings from a new survey conducted on behalf of HealthyWomen by Harris Interactive.

24 Oct 2009

March of Dimes to re-launch Healthy Baby program for military families

Military moms whose babies were born too soon or too sick were treated to a very special baby shower today at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) courtesy of the March of Dimes and Operation Shower.

21 Sep 2009

HAPPYBABY guide for new and expectant parents focuses on green parenting

Green parenting -- more than just a trendy movement -- is the best way to raise healthy babies with lasting results. Parents today feel overwhelmed by all the choices and conflicting information when starting a family.

2 Sep 2009

Good advice for a healthy pregnancy

Women can increase their chances for a healthy pregnancy by eating right, exercising, not smoking, and getting early medical care, says a podcast featuring a National Institutes of Health obstetrician who oversees research on pregnancy and birth.

20 May 2009

Maternal smoking impairs a baby's ability to respond to external stimuli

Monash University researchers have shown that babies born to a mother who smokes are more likely to be slower to wake or respond to stimulation - and this may explain their increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

6 Apr 2009

Maternal smoking replaces stomach sleeping as the greatest modifiable risk factor for SIDS

A study in the April 1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that maternal smoking is associated with an impaired infant arousal process that may increase the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

1 Apr 2009

Diabetes a risk factor for postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is a serious - and often undiagnosed - condition affecting about 10 to 12 percent of new mothers.

24 Feb 2009

Avoiding environmental tobacco smoke during pregnancy

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) commonly called secondhand smoke or passive smoking, can harm a developing fetus and may account for complications during pregnancy and birth. It is now known that non-whites experience more adverse pregnancy effects than do whites from smoking and ETS exposure.

29 Jan 2009

New non-invasive prenatal blood test for Down's syndrome, safer for the fetus

American researchers have created a prenatal blood test which can be used to determine if an unborn baby has Down's syndrome and the new test is safer for the fetus.

7 Oct 2008

Breast feeding lowers breast cancer risk

Experts say women who breastfeed for a year over the course of their lifetime are less likely to develop breast cancer.

29 Sep 2008

Preterm birth contributes to growing number of infant deaths

Babies born too soon and too small accounted for a growing proportion of infant deaths, according to new statistics released today from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

29 Jul 2008

Experts to develop national response to growing crisis of premature birth

Experts from throughout the United States will gather to develop a comprehensive national action plan to address the growing crisis of preterm birth.

9 Jun 2008

Cuddles diminishes pain from heel lance in preterm babies

Research published today in the open access journal BMC Pediatrics suggests that very preterm babies, born between 28 and 31 weeks, could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddling with their mother before and during painful procedures such as a heel lance.

24 Apr 2008

March of Dimes implores legislators to vote in favor of hearing screen

The March of Dimes is making a House call -- House of Representatives that is. On February 21, 2008, the March of Dimes and volunteers from around the state will meet with legislators to discuss several issues, the most important of which is passage of House Bill 1177.

21 Feb 2008

March of Dimes works to eliminate racial gaps in infant health

In recognition of Black History Month, the March of Dimes is drawing attention to the tremendous gap in premature birth and infant mortality rates that disproportionately affect black women in the United States and to the programs and research designed to reduce -- and one day eliminate -- these disparities.

4 Feb 2008