Supporting moms all throughout their pregnancies
We help moms get the information and care they need before, during and after pregnancy. If something goes wrong, we support families in the NICU. Learn more about some of our community programs below.
The primary purpose of the grand rounds program is to provide continuing education for perinatal health care providers on topics relevant to the March of Dimes mission: prevention of infant mortality, birth defects and preterm birth.
Grand rounds strengthen the relationship between local March of Dimes chapters and the medical, nursing and public health communities.
Alabama Chapter Annual Perinatal Conference
The Annual Perinatal Conference, Emerging Trends and Proven Initiatives in Perinatal Care, is held to provide evidence-based medical education for obstetric, neonatal and pediatric professionals.
The agenda features a "Smoking Cessation Plenary Session" with a panel composed of medical, pharmacy and SOBRA Medicaid Professionals. Final 2009 data from the Alabama Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) teams provides the basis for the education sessions, with a focus on initiatives shown to reduce the risk of preterm birth and infant death. A facilitated group discussion explores the trend toward a life-course perspective in women's health and the role of primary care in preconception health.
The event is organized annually by the Alabama Department of Public Health, March of Dimes, Alabama Medicaid, Region III Perinatal Advisory Council and UAB Obstetric Special Care Service and MedImmune.
NICU Family Support
Each year approximately one in 10 newborns is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the United States. The hospitalization of a baby in a NICU can be one of the most frightening, confusing and overwhelming experiences for a parent.
In its ongoing efforts to improve the health of babies, the March of Dimes NICU Family Support project was developed and launched in 2001 in three model sites. The program responds to the emotional and informational needs of NICU families during the NICU hospitalization, during the transition home and in the event of a newborn's death. The goal of the project is to contribute to NICU staff professional development and to promote a family-centered approach in Level III NICUs.
The Alabama Chapter launched this project at UAB Hospital in 2005. This project is in its sixth year and has a total project budget of $485,000.
Mission Investment Opportunity Program
The March of Dimes Alabama Chapter and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are working to reduce smoking prevalence and environmental tobacco smoke exposure in rural areas.
Following national guidelines for tobacco use cessation based on the 5-A model, the partners will train rural health care providers to deliver a brief smoking cessation intervention to their patients who smoke and to adopt smoking assessment as a routine vital sign. This model is endorsed by the Smoke-Free Families National Partnership to Help Pregnant Smokers Quit, of which the March of Dimes is a member.
Over the three-year grant period, project partners will train 75 rural family practice physicians and their staff as well as more than 360 rural medicine clerkship students. The initiative will enhance statewide tobacco cessation and prevention efforts by establishing a point-of-service resource within physicians' offices.
March of Dimes investments - $253,000
Stork’s Nest is a cooperative project of the March of Dimes and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. that provides prenatal education and incentives for low-income pregnant women. The Northern California Chapter has over 20 incentive programs.
Comenzando bien is the March of Dimes prenatal education program for Hispanic women. It was developed in partnership with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and is culturally and linguistically appropriate for Hispanic women.