Talk:March of Dimes/Archive 1

POV
Given that the Director of Media Relations for this organisation has conducted several major revisions and edits, and from a look at the content, I think a thorough POV check and bias review is merited. There is no mention, for example, of funding into research also funded by the tobacco industry which finds "benefits" to nicotine in pregnancy, amongst others.

In general, too, the entire article is written and structured as a promotional piece, not an objective recollection of the organisation and its history.

Achromatic 02:39, 17 May 2006 (UTC)


 * While I agree that the Director of Media Relations is a priori a biased source, I don't in fact see a problem with the article itself. I'm scanning for superlatives, a lack of negative information, etc., but I see nothing that gives me much heartburn (other than the accounting note mentioned below).  I note specifically that the article details the ups and downs of the organization in a very straightforward manner -- this looks an like even-handed approach to me.  Maybe you could draw my attention to a specific sentence or two as biased and I might agree (but if they are biased, why not just be bold and clean them up).


 * Regarding co-funding of research with the tobacco industry, if you've got a tie that's substantial, put it in. I would ask a few questions, though, before risking adding an inappropriate red flag.  How big and/or frequent was the co-funding of pregnancy research with the tobacco industry?  Was it once?  Or on-going? And did the March of Dimes participate in any of the studies that came to the other conclusion, the ones that won out in the end, which definitively established smoking as harmful during pregnancy?  Maybe the March of Dimes broadly supports research into natal health issues and will co-fund with anyone who is willing to put money into research. If so, drop the issue. Given the March of Dimes' stated focus on minimizing birth defects and premature babies, I am strongly suspicious of any claims that they are in bed with the  tobacco industry.  I'd really look for some credible sources before accepting such an alarmist claim.  But if there really is something rotten in Denmark, by all means include it.  --- technopilgrim 06:12, 3 October 2006 (UTC)


 * POV doesn't appear to be there in excess to me there is some negative info, and a factual account. No other POV activity for over a month on the talk page, so I am removing the tags. Zotel - the Stub Maker 13:58, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

Trademark and Logo
The use of this trademarked logo is limited exclusively to the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, a nonprofit organization registered in the United States. The history of the March of Dimes is intimately connected with that of President Roosevelt, the campaign against polio, and Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin. We feel very strongly that no other organization should be listed on this page -- if it is necessary to include them, let them have their own entries in Wikipedia.

Michele Kling Director of Media Relations March of Dimes 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605


 * In that case the logo should be removed. (which I will do) dml 22:05, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * I see the logo has been reinstated. I believe the logo should remain, if possible. Orville Eastland (talk) 02:41, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Animal Testing
needs to be mentioned

Please do not post any PETA/animal rights activist opinion materials on this page. That belongs in PETA's own entry.

Michele Kling, Director of Media Relations, March of Dimes.
 * If something is related to the March of Dimes, then it should go on this page. Animal rights-related criticisms of the March of Dimes do not come from PETA alone.  --NoPetrol 03:58, 18 May 2006 (UTC)


 * No, but they come from other organizations with the same agenda, some of which might even be front groups for PETA. Furthermore, I know of no medical condition research into which does not involve some degree of animal testing. The March of Dimes use of animal testing would be noteworthy if it deviated from the norm, but as things stand now, it's like mentioning that some celebrity liked candy as a child. If they didn't use animal testing that would be worth mentioning. I suggest we just remove that section. Bostoner (talk) 02:16, 26 December 2010 (UTC)


 * I can't help but note that the March of Dimes does not merit inclusion on the long People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals page. How serious can their infractions be if they don't deserve merit on the main PETA page? One thing that would not be appropriate is for the PETA folks to tag every Wikipedia article that is three degrees of Kevin Bacon away from a dissected mouse with an animal rights warning tag. That would be biased.  --- technopilgrim 06:12, 3 October 2006 (UTC)


 * PETA has a specific campaign related to this topic situated at marchofcrimes.com. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the POV expressed there- their lack of links to external sites backing up their claims is notable.  However, to act like PETA hasn't made a big enough deal about it to warrant inclusion or to claim that it doesn't have enough to do with March of Dimes to belong in this article specifically is foolish.  This is not a PR piece for March of Dimes, and criticisms of the organization belong here. 64.81.121.252 22:52, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * For what it's worth, I came to this page hoping to learn more about criticism of the March of Dimes' funding of animal tests. I'm disappointed that there is no information in the article, and I don't know where else to look for impartial information. Margin078 05:05, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

Charitable Giving standards
Please do not remove or alter the March of Dimes information about Accounting and Governance Standards again. This is current, accurate information.

Michele Kling, director of media relations March of Dimes


 * It is sufficient to state that it does so. It does not require this entire block, let alone twice: "The March of Dimes meets the Accounting and Governance Standards promulgated by the Better Business Bureau, National Health Council, Combined Federal Campaign, Independent Sector, as well as the IRS and all 50 States."


 * This borders on, if not is, self promotion and aggrandisement. Achromatic 02:26, 18 May 2006 (UTC)


 * Here I agree with Achromatic that once is enough, and a shorter version is in order. Something like "The March of Dimes meets the Accounting and Governance Standards promoted by the National Health Council and other regulatory bodies".  If a person wants the whole list of organizations that approve of the March of Dimes accounting system, it is more appropriate that they find them by visiting the MoD website. --- technopilgrim 06:12, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Abortion
I have heard from several sources that March of Dimes supports abortion. At least in certain circumstances. I went to their website and asked and no reply was forthcoming. This info either needs to be confirmed or denied.


 * The information you heard is incorrect.


 * The correct information is that the March of Dimes is neutral on the issue of abortion. The March of Dimes does not encourage, fund, or support abortion, either directly or indirectly. The March of Dimes does not fund any abortion counseling or other abortion services for any individual.  The March of Dimes specifically prohibits grantees who receive its funds from using these funds for abortion activities, abortion research, or directive advice on abortion in the course of the project.


 * Michele Kling

Director of Media Relations March of Dimes


 * If the March of Dimes doesn't have a position on abortion, the topic should not be added to this article. -- technopilgrim 06:12, 3 October 2006 (UTC)


 * I disagree purely on the grounds of disinformation. I went to a Catholic church for about a year, and only one parrish, but they seemed up in arms about the March of Dimes. From the spin they put on it you'd think the March of Dimes organization was personally stabbing unsuspecting pregnant women with coat hangers against their will. So when I saw no mention of abortion here I was just left to wonder. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.144.74.76 (talk) 00:12, 1 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I had a similar experience in my Catholic school in the Cleveland area in the mid to late 1990s. My teacher used to tell us that March of Dimes supported abortion, too, though in looking back on it this woman was clearly an anti-abortion, right-wing activist, though at the time I and my classmates were too young to know any better.  I actually was shocked not to see anything about abortion in the article, too, though now I realize that it is mostly because this woman's frantic paranoia is more responsible for those expectations than any actual fact.  69.135.191.49 (talk) 01:02, 2 September 2009 (UTC)
 * To the best of my knowledge, the March of Dimes does not support or oppose Abortion. In fact, according to one book, in 1969, they received a blessing from Pope Paul VI. Orville Eastland (talk) 02:41, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

On a related note, I have removed the link to "a related site" which linked to Michael Fund. Michael Fund is an organization that promotes research into one specific type of birth defect (Down syndrome and other defects that cause mental retardation) and has a specific anti-abortion agenda. They are critical of the March of Dimes for the MOD's purported support for the use of fetal tissues in research. Since the charity was founded in 1979 and did not award its first grant until 1996, 17 years later, I believe it is more of a vanity charity than a true medical research foundation. --TychaBrahe 20:51, 30 July 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.96.196.130 (talk)

A Catholic just told me this nonsense about supporting abortion. March of Dimes neutral status regarding abortion might need to be included in the article as it seems to be such a frequent misconception amongst them. When no mention was made in the page I wasn't sure which way they leaned and was ALMOST thinking about buying into the line from this otherwise intelligent woman. 68.153.29.23 (talk) 16:16, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

For those interested in the topic of abortion and the March of Dimes from a pro-life perspective, you can find it here: http://www.lifeissues.org/marchofdimes/index.html For myself, I find other charities to give to due to the relationship between the March of Dimes and the largest abortion provider in the country. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.103.128.112 (talk) 03:35, 6 April 2011 (UTC)

Discussion of Roosevelt's condition
The fact that Roosevelt was believed to have polio is relevant to the article because the charity he founded was founded to respond to a polio epidemic. The fact that what he had wasn't really polio isn't relevant at all, but it has to go in because otherwise we mislead. Any more discussion than that of what he really had is completely irrelevant; the article specifically about his condition goes into all the detail the curious could want, but it has nothing to do with the March of Dimes.

To me, it looks like this edit detracts from the article by distracting the reader with something not relevant to its subject. Are you sure it adds anything to the reader's understanding of the March of Dimes? If not, would you consider reverting it? Thanks! &mdash; ciphergoth 08:10, 13 June 2006 (UTC)


 * It seems relevant enough. As you stated, the charity was founded by Roosevelt because he was thought to have polio. But it turns out he probably didn't have polio. It's likely many people interested in the history of the March of Dimes will be interested in this, especially since it has been repeated so many countless times that FDR had polio. I agree that it does not merit more than a mention in the March of Dimes article, which it sounds like you agree to. It's just more accurate and clear to say "indicates it was Guillain-Barre Syndrome" or similar than the vague phrase "indicates otherwise". And yes, perhaps the reader might get distracted some, but is that so bad? If you read the article (or just about any significant article), there are many other items that could distract a reader and lead them elsewhere in wikipedia. Eddie Cantor, Jonas Salk, March of Time, etc. Wikipedia is intentionally heavily linked and cross-referenced. But after they read about FDR's illness (or some other concept), they'll return to reading about the March of Dimes. Dagoldman


 * It all depends on the test you apply before including something. "Relevant" or "of interest to the same readers" would include too much.  By contrast, "might distract the reader and lead them elsewhere" would include too little.  The proper test is "does it add to the reader's understanding of the subject of the article?".  Cantor, Salk etc all pass this test, but Guillian-Barre syndrome doesn't, really.  The heavy linking of Wikipedia is just the point - a reader who sees that and thinks "if he didn't have polio, what did he have?" can click on the link and learn all about it in an article that does the subject much more justice than our summary can.


 * However, you are quite right that the wording wasn't very clear. I've tried to reword it to ensure it's accurate and clear while staying as short as possible.


 * When I started editing the article, the discussion was very long - I hope we can agree it needs to be shorter than that :-)


 * BTW, top tip for Wikipedia discussions: if you set off your reply with three colons then it will be indented correctly - note that I've put one against your reply and used two myself. And if you sign with four tildes ~ then your signature will include the date.  Thanks! &mdash; ciphergoth 10:35, 25 June 2006 (UTC)


 * I think your edit is good enough. Thanks for the wikipedia tips. I don't know why I thought it was three tildes. Dagoldman 05:47, 27 June 2006 (UTC)


 * The present version seems good -- a quick mention with a hyperlink for the curious. Nicely done. --- technopilgrim 06:12, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Proposed Merge
I have proposed merging Warren's World - A March of Dimes Advocacy Project into this article. I think it is a better alternative than proposing its deletion. The article itself does not warrant a stand-alone article as it lacks encyclopedic significance. I doubt every project of every non-profit organization requires its own article. Projects such as this one probably belong on the entry for the organization itself. Agent 86 22:18, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
 * I see now that it might be better to merge Warren's World with Ontario March of Dimes, so I have removed the "merge" template. Agent 86 22:59, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

Shouldn't the formation date be 1921?
After reading this article from the March of Dimes website. That page says "On a summer day in 1921, Franklin D. Roosevelt became one of its victims and the March of Dimes was born." What do you all think? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.81.108.10 (talk) 19:50, 12 November 2008 (UTC)

Other March of Dimes Projects
According to "March of Dimes" by Daniel W. Rose (Arcadia Publishing, 2003), the March of Dimes also performed research into viral diseases and Arthritis for a time. (They ceased supporting arthritis reseach in 1964, transferring it to the Arthritis Foundation.) Orville Eastland (talk) 02:41, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

New Information for Review
March of Dimes

The March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.

The Ontario March of Dimes (OMOD), and March of Dimes Canada established by OMOD, have no affiliation with the March of Dimes.

Legal status and organization

The March of Dimes is a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The foundation is headquartered in White Plains, NY and has 51 chapters across the U.S., including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which provide public health education, advocacy for mothers and babies, and community service grants and outreach programs.

Funding

In 2009, gross contributions to the March of Dimes totaled $214.6 million. Of this amount, 75.4 percent was allocated to program services. Contributions to the March of Dimes are voluntary and include corporate and personal gifts, endowments and bequests.

Mission

The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Services

The March of Dimes provides mothers, pregnant women and women of childbearing age with educational resources on baby health, pregnancy, preconception and new motherhood, as well as supplying information and support to families affected by prematurity, birth defects, or other infant health problems.

History

The fight against polio

The March of Dimes was founded by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) on January 3, 1938, as a response to epidemics of poliomyelitis (polio) sweeping the country. Roosevelt was himself paralyzed as a result of polio. From those earliest days, the foundation was an alliance between scientists working in their laboratories and volunteers, who raised money to support research, education and help polio victims and their families. Basil O’Connor, an attorney and a close associate of President Roosevelt, helped establish the foundation. He became its president in 1938, a position he held for more than three decades. His first task was to create a network of local chapters that could raise money and deliver aid—more than 3,100 county chapters were established during his tenure.

The foundation funded research to help scientists understand the nature of polio and develop a preventive vaccine. Jonas Salk, M.D., a grantee of the foundation, began his research on poliovirus at the University of Pittsburgh in 1947. He first developed a successful vaccine in 1952, which was tested and proven effective in clinical trials in the United States and Canada in 1954 (see Salk Vaccine Field Trial). By April 1955, the Salk vaccine was announced in the news media as “safe, effective and potent” and had been approved for distribution by the U.S. government. In 1957, Albert Bruce Sabin, another foundation grantee, began testing a version of the vaccine in which the infectious part of the virus was inactivated. In 1963, the Sabin vaccine was approved, and by 1965, only 61 cases of paralytic polio were diagnosed in the United States.

Since the discovery and widespread use of the polio vaccines, polio has been eliminated in the Western Hemisphere and in most countries of the world.

Salk Vaccine Field Trial

The Salk polio vaccine trial of 1954, initiated and funded by the March of Dimes, showed statistical evidence that Salk’s killed virus vaccine was up to 90percent effective in preventing polio. Almost 624,000 American children were injected with either vaccine or placebo, and more than a million others served as observed control subjects. The Salk Vaccine Field Trial was among the largest and most publicized clinical trials in history.

A New Mission

With its original goal of eliminating polio accomplished, the March of Dimes faced a choice: to either disband or dedicate its resources to a new mission. Basil O’Connor, president of the March of Dimes at the time, directed his staff to identify strengths and weaknesses of the organization and reformulate its mission.

In 1958, the NFIP shortened its name to the National Foundation (NF) and launched its “Expanded Program” against birth defects, arthritis, and virus diseases, seeking to become a “flexible force” in the field of public health. In the mid-60s, the organization focused its efforts on the prevention of birth defects and infant mortality, which became its mission thereafter. In 1976, the organization changed its name to the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. In 2005, reducing the toll of premature birth was added as a mission objective.

Virginia Apgar, M.D.

The creator of the Apgar Score (the first standardized method for evaluating the newborn's transition to life outside the womb), anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, M.D. joined the March of Dimes in 1959 and eventually served as vice president for medical affairs. Apgar helped refocus the foundation’s efforts from polio to birth defects and was committed to preventing birth defects through public education and fundraising for research.

March of Dimes

The name “March of Dimes”—coined by vaudeville star Eddie Cantor as a play on contemporary newsreel series “The March of Time”—was originally used for the foundation’s annual fundraising event and gradually became synonymous with that of the organization. It was officially adopted as the organization’s name in 1976, when it became known as the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. In 2007, the name became the March of Dimes Foundation. ToddPreston (talk) 20:48, 14 June 2011 (UTC)

Mission Successes
Rubella

Rubella, also called German measles, is associated with a disorder called congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). If a woman contracts the rubella virus during the first trimester of pregnancy, CRS can affect her unborn child, potentially causing severe birth defects such as deafness, blindness and mental retardation. Miscarriages occur in up to 20 percent of cases. Vaccination is an effective preventive measure.

The last major U.S. rubella epidemic occurred in 1964–1965, resulting in an estimated 12.5 million cases of rubella and 20,000 cases of CRS in live-born infants. Virginia Apgar, M.D., then serving as vice president of medical affairs at the March of Dimes, testified to the United States Senate Committee of Labor and Public Welfare’s Subcommittee on Health in 1969 about the importance of federal funding of a rubella immunization program before the next epidemic commenced in the United States (expected in 1970 or 1971). She stressed that funding was needed not only for vaccine production, but also for a wide distribution network and an educational campaign. The first vaccines were developed in the late 1960s. A more effective vaccine, licensed in the early 1970s and developed with March of Dimes funding, was the cornerstone of a program to eliminate transmission of rubella from pregnant women to their babies.

With the success of the rubella immunization program, the incidence of endemic rubella has been virtually eliminated in the United States. Work to eradicate the disease globally continues. The March of Dimes has partnered with UNICEF and other organizations to support the establishment of rubella control programs in other parts of the world, including Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Newborn Intensive Care Units & NICU Family Support® Program

In 1976, the March of Dimes published a report titled Toward Improving the Outcome of Pregnancy (TIOP) that called for the creation of a regional system of newborn intensive care units (NICUs) to provide specialized care for preterm babies. The report categorized maternal and neonatal care into three levels of complexity and recommended referral of high-risk patients to hospital facilities with appropriate staffing and resources to handle them. In the 1970s, this level of facility was rare and was primarily found at academic medical centers.

Since that time, the number of neonatologists in the United States has increased and NICUs have become relatively common in many areas. In fact, between 1980 and 1995, the number of NICU beds grew by 138 percent and the number of neonatologists by 268 percent. Today, one in 10 babies born in the United States is admitted to a NICU, many of them because of premature birth. In 1993, March of Dimes readdressed the NICU issue in Toward Improving the Outcome of Pregnancy: The 90s and Beyond (TIOP II). The 1993 report updated care complexity designations from levels I, II and III to basic, specialty and subspecialty, and the criteria were expanded. ToddPreston (talk) 19:31, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

In 1973, March of Dimes-supported researchers Kenneth L. Jones, M.D., and David W. Smith, M.D., at the University of Washington in Seattle discovered a distinct cluster of birth defects seen exclusively in the babies of women who used alcohol while pregnant. Jones and Smith published their findings in the British medical journal The Lancet, naming this medical disorder fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is categorized as a group of birth defects ranging from mental retardation to various growth and behavioral problems.

In addition to providing grant funding for FAS research over the years, March of Dimes also supported the National Council on Alcoholism in its push for legislation to bring public attention to the dangers of alcohol use by pregnant women. This led to a 1989 law mandating a warning label about the risk of birth defects that alcoholic beverages still carry today.

Pulmonary Surfactant/Nitric Oxide Surfactant is a chemical produced naturally in human lungs that helps them to inflate. Some babies who are born prematurely do not have enough surfactant in their lungs to breathe properly, resulting in a disorder known as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). March of Dimes states on its website that the organization has invested more than $12.5 million in research studying this issue.

Through research funded by the March of Dimes in 1985, T. Allen Merritt, M.D., discovered that by treating these babies with surfactant, they have a better chance of survival. The study by Merritt and colleagues, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1986, concluded that “treatment with human surfactant offers promise for improving the survival of very premature infants with a surfactant deficiency and for reducing the pulmonary sequelae of the respiratory distress syndrome.” The first surfactant therapy was approved by the FDA in July 1990. Since surfactant therapy became widespread, infant RDS deaths have dropped from approximately 25,000 deaths each year in the 1960s to just 860 in 2005.

Folic Acid Campaign

In 1992, the U.S. Public Health Service began recommending that all women capable of having a baby consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily beginning before pregnancy and continuing into the first trimester to prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (NTDs)—specifically spina bifida, a leading cause of childhood paralysis, and anencephaly (missing or incomplete brain and skull).

In support of the PHS recommendation, the March of Dimes, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Council on Folic Acid partnered to launch the National Folic Acid Campaign in 1995. The goal was to lower the incidence of NTDs by at least 30 percent by encouraging women of childbearing age to take a daily multivitamin supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid. The campaign included the establishment of state Folic Acid councils that focused on folic acid education on a statewide level.

Newborn Screening

March of Dimes states on its website that it supports mandated newborn screening of all babies in all states in the U.S. for at least 30 life-threatening conditions for which effective treatment and reliable testing is available to prevent catastrophic consequences to the child. In 2003, the March of Dimes began releasing an annual, state-by-state report card on each state’s adoption of expanded newborn screening recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics. March of Dimes president Jennifer L. Howse, Ph.D. has stated that this program is intended to inform parents of the tests available in their state, enabling those with affected babies to pursue early treatment. ToddPreston (talk) 20:40, 27 June 2011 (UTC)

Current Activities
Prematurity Campaign

In the United States, more than 540,000 babies are born too soon each year. Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn death, and babies who survive an early birth often face lifetime health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and others. For these reasons, in 2003, the March of Dimes launched a national Prematurity Campaign to raise awareness of this serious problem and help reduce the rate of premature birth. Activities of the campaign include educating women of childbearing age about risk reduction and warning signs of premature birth; providing affected families with information and emotional support; assisting health practitioners to improve risk detection; encouraging investment of more public and private research dollars; and advocacy for expanded access to health coverage for all pregnant women. The American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses are partners in the campaign.

According to an editorial in the May 2004 issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association, the original goals of the campaign were to raise awareness of the problem from 35 percent to at least 60 percent and to decrease the rate of premature births by at least 15 percent (from 11.9 percent to 10.1 percent). Today, the goal remains to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of premature birth in the United States. The campaign supports research grants through the March of Dimes’ Prematurity Research Initiative, which funds research by not-for-profit institutions into the causes of prematurity.

In 2006, the Institute of Medicine published the report “Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences and Prevention,” which documented the impact of premature birth on families, the health care system and business, and provided cost estimates. It stated that preterm birth costs the nation more than $26 billion annually. This report was funded in part by March of Dimes.

Quality Improvement Initiatives

The March of Dimes hosted the Symposium on Quality Improvement to Prevent Prematurity in October 2009. The purpose of the Symposium was to discuss the state of quality initiatives to prevent preterm birth and develop an agenda to decrease the rate of preterm births that are not inevitable or medically necessary. Attendees included health care practitioners, health insurers, policy makers, health purchasers, regulators and concerned citizens. The symposium was a collaborative effort of the March of Dimes, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Nurse-Midwives, and Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

On December 15, 2010, the March of Dimes released “Toward Improving the Outcome of Pregnancy III: Enhancing Perinatal Health Through Quality, Safety, and Performance Initiatives,” a new report by a panel of more than 40 maternal and infant health leaders including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, The Joint Commission, the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the March of Dimes.

Global Report on Birth Defects

Published in 2006, the March of Dimes Global Report on Birth Defects was the first to provide a global estimate of the incidence of serious birth defects of genetic or partially genetic origin. The report, in which researchers detail the numbers of affected births in 193 countries, includes recommended steps aimed at addressing health disparities and reducing the toll of infant death in developing countries.

The report’s key findings included: • Every year an estimated 8 million children--6 percent of total births worldwide--are born with a serious birth defect of genetic or partially genetic origin. • Additionally, hundreds of thousands more are born with serious birth defects of post-conception origin due to maternal exposure to environmental agents. • At least 3.3 million children less than 5 years of age die annually because of serious birth defects. • The majority of those who survive may be mentally and physically disabled for life.

March for Babies

Established in 1970, the March for Babies, previously called WalkAmerica, is the largest fundraiser of the year for the March of Dimes, as well as the oldest nationwide charitable walking event. In the decades since, many other organizations have used the “walk-athon” format to help raise money. Funds raised by the event support March of Dimes-sponsored research and other programs to prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality.

National Ambassador

Every year, a child who is personally affected by the March of Dimes mission acts as a National Ambassador and travels the country to help raise awareness of the prematurity issue. The 2010 March of Dimes National Ambassador is Joshua Hoffman, a 7-year-old who was born premature and spent 3.5 months in the NICU.

Controversy

Animal rights organizations have raised concerns about March of Dimes-funded medical research involving animals. The foundation states it supports the use of non-animal research alternatives wherever possible. March of Dimes grants for research involving animals are awarded only to studies that comply with the highest ethical standards to protect the health and welfare of animal subjects.

Further reading

• Oshinsky, David M. (2005). Polio: an American Story. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195152948. • Rose, David W. (2003). March of Dimes. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738512532. • Institute of Medicine, July 2006. “Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences and Prevention.”

External links

March of Dimes question portal (http://www.marchofdimesbaby.org) March of Dimes Spanish-language website (http://www.nacersano.org) March of Dimes Youth (http://www.marchofdimesyouth.com) March for Babies (http://www.marchforbabies.org) March of Dimes story quilt (http://www.everybabyhasastory.org) March of Dimes online community for NICU families (http://www.shareyourstory.org) ToddPreston (talk) 15:03, 8 July 2011 (UTC)

Change Name to "March of Dimes Foundation
The text states that this is the name of the organisation. It should be the title of the article.93.96.148.42 (talk) 04:22, 9 July 2011 (UTC)

This quote is not from an accurate or creditable source. Please remove: 'It is claimed an officer of the charity said “No smart ass researcher is going to come along anytime soon and invent a cure for that!” 'Kwesirobertson (talk) 18:36, 14 July 2011 (UTC)

Un-credible Information
This information added on July 9th is from a PDF file and is not accurate or credible regarding any March of Dimes affiliation with Marriott. This does not satisfy Wikipedia's guidelines for credible sources.

Cause marketing with Marriott Hotels In 1976 Marriott Corporation and the March of Dimes cooperated in a programme directed by Bruce Burtch, to generate public relations and media coverage for the opening of the family entertainment center, Marriott’s Great America in Santa Clara, CA and to greatly increase The March of Dimes' fundraising and promote the collection of pledges by the deadline of the programme. The campaign happened simultaneously in 67 cities in the Western United States.It was the most successful promotion in the history of Chapters West of the March of Dimes, and stimulated the Marriott entertainment's record-breaking opening. It is considered significant in the history of Cause Marketing. [12]ToddPreston (talk) 19:21, 14 July 2011 (UTC)ToddPreston (talk) 17:14, 10 August 2011 (UTC)