March of Dimes

The March of Dimes has committed another $2.6 million to support the work of six scientists for the next three years as they study the causes of preterm birth. The 2010 grants bring the six-year total of the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative grant program to more than $15 million.

Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant death in the United States, and babies who survive face serious lifelong health problems. More than 543,000 babies are born too soon each year, and the nation’s premature birth rate has increased 36 percent since the early 1980s. Worldwide, about 13 million babies are born prematurely each year.

Scientists seeking answers to the complex problem of premature birth will explore whether stimulation of estrogen receptors triggers preterm labor, study how genetics and the environment interact to cause preterm birth, and investigate whether vitamin D can suppress factors that make some women more likely to give birth too soon, all with the financial support of the March of Dimes.

Information taken from the Blog: News Moms Need