March of Dimes
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  Scientists Convene To Discuss What Role Environmental Toxins Play in Premature Birth

WASHINGTON, OCT. 2, 2001 – Smoking, stress, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), particulate emissions, and other potential factors that may affect preterm birth will be examined today and tomorrow as doctors and researchers from the United States and Canada meet here at the National Academy of Sciences Auditorium.

Sponsored by the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine and the March of Dimes, this conference is the first time scientists from North America will gather to discuss the possible effects of environmental toxins on the growing rate of prematurity in the U.S. "Each year in the U.S., more than 440,000 babies are born too soon. Since the early 1980s, the rate of preterm birth in this country has actually increased by 23 percent and we need to know why," said Donald R. Mattison, M.D., medical director of the March of Dimes. Dr. Mattison has played a central role in organizing this workshop, along with the Institute of Medicine and other national agencies.

"This workshop is an opportunity for doctors and researchers to share what they’ve learned so we can begin to see if there is a correlation between environmental toxins and prematurity, and then develop new strategies to reduce prematurity in this country," he added. "Whether we determine toxins are a direct or secondary cause can guide which interventions we take in the future to insure that all births result in healthy babies."

"In the past ten years, the March of Dimes has invested almost $13 million dollars to try to understand and prevent prematurity in this country. Much of that funding goes to our Perinatal Epidemiological Research Initiative (PERI) grants, which enables grantees to conduct research on prematurity ," said Dr. Mattison.

Dr. Mattison will be presenting the opening charge to workshop participants. Among the March of Dimes researchers and executives participating at the workshop are:
  • E. Albert Reece, M.D., Temple University and March of Dimes advisor. Moderator on "Environmental Causes of Prematurity."
  • Carol Hogue, Ph.D., M.P.H., Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University and March of Dimes consultant. Speaking on "Descriptive Epidemiology of Prematurity."
  • Janet W. Rich-Edwards, Sc.D., Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and PERI grantee. Speaking on "Social Factors and Preterm Birth."
  • Donna S. Dizon-Towson, M.D., University of Utah School of Medicine and March of Dimes consultant. Moderator on "Environmental Causes of Prematurity: the Role of Environmental Toxicants."
  • Matthew Longnecker, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and March of Dimes consultant. Speaking on "Exposures to Environmental Chemicals and Prematurity."
  • Xiaobin Wang, M.D., M.P.H., Sc.D, Boston University School of Medicine and PERI grantee. Speaking on "Gene-Environment Interactions and Prematurity."
  • Charles J. Lockwood, M.D., Professor and Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University and PERI grantee.
  • Karla H. Damus, Ph.D., R.N., director, Community Programs, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health, Albert Einstein School of Medicine and March of Dimes consultant.
  • Fernando Guerra, M.D., public health officer, San Antonio, Texas and member, March of Dimes Bio-ethics committee and board of advisors.


The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site or its Spanish Web site at www.nacersano.org or call 1-888-MODIMES.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., is president of the Institute of Medicine.

 		 
  © 2008 March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. All rights reserved. The March of Dimes is a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Our mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.