Colorado grants

Learn how the March of Dimes is working right now in our state to help moms have healthy pregnancies and give every baby a healthy start.

Prenatal care

Committed funds $78,000  
Quality and timely prenatal care are essential to the health of pregnant women and their babies. The Colorado chapter supports the expansion of innovative, evidenced-based programs. CenteringPregnancy®  is a proven, successful group model of prenatal care that empowers women to have healthy pregnancies. Colorado CenteringPregnancy partners served over 1,000 women in Colorado during 2010, with a premature birth rate of 7.9% compared to a state average of 10.8%. CenteringPregnancy partnerships include the following health care providers:  
Clinica Family Health Services $10,000
Peak Vista Community Health Services $10,000
Salud Family Health Service $10,000 

Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait

Committed funds $11,000  
Colorado (and the nation) has experienced a rise in babies being born before 39 weeks, due to cesarean births (or c-sections) and inductions of labor. In 2010, 24% of live Colorado births were delivered by c-section, while 21% of deliveries included induction of labor. To curb this trend, the Colorado chapter has launched a three-pronged campaign, with components related to hospitals, healthcare providers and public awareness.  Colorado hospitals are being asked to establish “hard stop” policies to deter these procedures from being scheduled prior to 39 weeks, when no medical necessity is indicated. The Colorado chapter is providing informational brochures to doctors and others healthcare providers to facilitate discussion with patients about this important issue. Public service announcements and an interactive learning tool have been developed and distributed across Colorado to increase awareness that healthy babies are worth the wait. Partners in this campaign include the Colorado Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Colorado Perinatal Care Council and the Colorado Hospital Association.

NICU Family Support

Committed funds $69,000  
Becoming a parent is typically an exciting time. Yet, too often, babies are born prematurely or with critical health problems and they can’t go home. Hospital stays like this cause crisis for families. The March of Dimes offers education, support and comfort through a program called NICU Family Support, partnering with Children’s Hospital Colorado. Program services are specifically designed to address the unique needs of families of hospitalized newborns. Over 900 families from across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region have been served by this award-winning program in the past year.

Medical Research

Committed funds $310,000  
Scientific discoveries are the cornerstone of March of Dimes efforts to improve infant and maternal health.  Research findings enable doctors and midwives to improve the medical care they provide so that more pregnancies are healthy. More research is needed. For example, the causes of two-thirds of birth defects are unknown. Premature birth remains a mystery with unclear reasons half the time. Integration of researchers from many different fields of study is central to unraveling the mysteries of pregnancy. To that end, the Colorado chapter co-sponsors the annual Frontiers in Pregnancy Research Symposium, building knowledge and collaboration across the state. In the past decade, the March of Dimes has funded over $1 million in Colorado research grants. Currently funded research grants include:  

Jay Hesselberth, PhD $150,000
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
University of Colorado Denver
Goal: To understand how disruptions in DNA packaging may affect functioning of genes and contribute to errors in cell division, leading to birth defects.  

Joseph Hurt, MD, PhD $150,000
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Colorado Denver
Goal: To understand uterine smooth muscle regulation by small molecular gasotransmitters.
David L. Woodland, PhD $10,000
Keystone Symposia
Goal: To host four Keystone scientific symposia.  

Advocacy

Committed funds $37,000  
The March of Dimes provides a voice on behalf of mothers and babies, focusing on federal, state and local public policies and programs that affect women of childbearing age, babies and children. Our Colorado Voice  program gives volunteers opportunities to advocate their concerns to policymakers and to impact legislation. Our activities support access to healthcare; birth defects screening and research funding; and, reducing causes of birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.     

Learn more! Download the complete version of our publication, Colorado Mission Impact 2012.

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