Professional education

• Learn how to detect patients at risk of preterm birth.
• Obtain nursing education credits through the March of Dimes.
• Participate in our grand rounds, conferences and seminars.

Background: This Symposium explored the state of quality initiatives to prevent preterm birth and developed an action agenda to decrease the rate of preterm births that are not inevitable or medically necessary.

The Symposium brought together a multidisciplinary group of health care practitioners, health insurers, policy makers, health purchasers, regulators and concerned citizens to discuss quality improvement as an essential component in the strategy to prevent prematurity, promote health and save costs. It was a forum where experts and stakeholders:

• Shared ideas and challenges
• Described model programs that have successfully improved the nature and quality of patient care and services targeted to prematurity prevention
• Recommended quality improvement action plans

Organized by March of Dimes in collaboration with 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

Downloads
• Conference flyer (PDF, 1 mb)
• Program (PDF, 488 k)

Slides and audio
The Clinical Directors Network provides slides and audio of conference sessions.

For more information
E-mail: conferences@marchofdimes.com.

Supporters
The symposium was supported by The Commonwealth Fund, a national, private foundation based in New York City that supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The views presented here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Commonwealth Fund, its directors, officers or staff.

Funding for this conference was made possible in part by Grant Number 1R13HS018613-01 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Professional meetings
March of Dimes staff members present and exhibit at a variety of professional conferences. Some of the major meetings in which we participate are listed below:

American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Medical Genetics
American College of Nurse-Midwives
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Public Health Association
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
CityMatCH
National Birth Defects Prevention Network
National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition
National Perinatal Association
National Society of Genetic Counselors
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Other meetings
The March of Dimes sponsors numerous conferences across the country every year on a wide range of topics, including preterm labor and birth, newborn screening, folic acid, and smoking cessation for pregnant women.

For information about events in your local area, contact your local March of Dimes chapter.