March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

This post addresses three growing concerns; infant birth defects, premature births and chemicals found in newborns. We'll start with the latest report that shows premature babies born in the United States are more than twice as likely to have a major birth defect than full-term infants. The researchers tracked nearly 7 million babies born between 1995 and 2000 in 13 states, accounting for about 30 percent of U.S. births, to better understand the relationship between birth defects and pre... Read Full Story

  Mom's abdominal fat linked with birth defect risk Last Updated: 2008-07-25 17:05:20 -0400 (Reuters Health) NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who are obese before they become pregnant may be at increased risk of having a baby with defects of the brain and spinal cord, especially if they tend to put on weight around the waist, according to new research from the March of Dimes. But a woman's body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy had no relationship to her likelihood of having a child with... Read Full Story

As we celebrate the anniversary of women's right to vote on August 27th, Women's Equality Day, we need to draw attention to the effect of tobacco-related diseases on women. Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as a leading killer of women. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, which kills one of three women in the United States. Babies born to women who smoke and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are at greater risk for sudden... Read Full Story

 Birth defect risk doubles in pre-term babies Last Updated: 2008-05-21 9:53:42 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Premature babies born in the United States are more than twice as likely to have a major birth defect as full-term infants, with the risk even higher among very pre-term babies, researchers said on Wednesday. The researchers tracked nearly 7 million babies born between 1995 and 2000 in 13 states, accounting for about 30 percent of U.S. births, to better... Read Full Story

March of Dimes is currently holding their annual "March for Babies". March of Dimes is dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Today in honor of my daughters two year angelversary I wanted to share this information with all of you! After the loss of my daughter Faith, I decided to start an organization called Angel Wing Parents. The organization for bereaved parents to remember their children by doing charitable acts in... Read Full Story