Boston Parents Paper March of Dimes 2019 March for Babies

FIGHTING FOR EVERY MOM & BABY. Every baby deserves the best possible start. We are fighting for the health of moms and babies because it makes the future brighter for us all.

© 2018 March of Dimes

MARCHOFDIMES.ORG

MY NICU BABY APP While your baby is in the NICU, answers, tools, support and peace of mind are in the palm of your hand with the My NICU BabyTM App from March of Dimes.

Use My NICU Baby to do things like: • • • • • •

Get tips and helpful videos to care for your baby in the NICU and at home Track breastfeeding sessions and baby’s weight Track breast pumping and kangaroo care Take photos and add filters Connect with other families with similar experiences Create a customizable checklist to prepare to take your baby home

March of Dimes is with you through every stage of the pregnancy journey, even when everything doesn’t go according to plan, providing support to all moms and babies when they need it. © 2018 March of Dimes

2019 Boston March for Babies

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ill Heiden is President and CEO of AMAG Pharmaceuticals, a Waltham-based pharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative products to patients with unmet medical needs. AMAG is proud to partner with March of Dimes to improve the health and well-being of moms and babies. This year, Bill is chairing March for Babies in Boston, the annual walk to raise awareness and funds to prevent premature births. Below, Bill shares more about the walk and why it’s important.

Q: Tell us about March for Babies and how you are involved.

A: One of March of Dimes’ most important events is the annual March for Babies, which takes place across the country each spring. The Boston walk will take place on Saturday, May 11 at the Hatch Shell and I am honored to be chairing this year’s walk. In this role, I’m committed to making the Boston event one of the most successful March for Babies in the country. Working with others on

the walk’s Executive Leadership Team, we’re focused on bringing more people into this great event and to making sure we meet or beat our fundraising goal of $800,000. We want to inspire other companies to get involved through sponsorships, with donations and to put together teams and help families stay connected to the important work that March of Dimes carries out. It’s a fun day filled with family-friendly events, the chance to meet families and hear their stories of preterm birth, and see how your fundraising efforts can impact these families first-hand.

Q: Can you share more about preterm birth and why it’s an area that’s important to you?

A: Preterm birth is a serious issue confronting our country today – in 2017,

the preterm birth rate (the percentage of babies born before 37 weeks) rose for the third year in a row. Nearly one in ten babies will be born too soon.

This is an issue that’s close to AMAG’s heart. We market a treatment that reduces the risk of pre-term birth in certain at-risk women, and we also have a drug in development for the treatment of severe preeclampsia. We are proud of the work we are doing for pregnant women, their babies and families – but also realize that efforts to ensure that every baby has a healthy start are broader than just effective drugs. We collaborate with healthcare experts, provider organizations and advocacy groups to help address all of the patients’ needs. We’re particularly proud of our partnership with March of Dimes and our collective work to research and educate; supporting the health of all moms and babies. Together, we’re working to reverse the alarming rise in premature births that we’re seeing in our country.

Q: What can I do to support moms and babies?

A: You can join us on May 11 and walk to support the nearly half a million

babies born prematurely or with birth defects every year. With your help and support together we can work to address premature birth and its complications. Please visit marchforbabies.org where you can register to walk, create a personalized page to share why you’re supporting the walk, and set a fundraising goal. Be sure to share your page through social media to encourage your friends and family to join as well. I look forward to seeing you at the Hatch Shell on Saturday, May 11 for a fun afternoon!

We fund and support research at our Prematurity Research Centers and in promising areas to find solutions and make lifesaving breakthroughs.

We offer resources and programs that help moms before, during and after pregnancy and give medical professionals the tools and best practices they need.

We fight for policies in the halls of government that prioritize the health of moms and babies.

We bring together organizations and professionals from diverse backgrounds to identify and act on solutions to improve equity and preterm birth prevention.

We comfort and assist moms and families throughout every stage of the pregnancy journey, even when things don’t go according to plan.

We partner with community organizations and health care providers to ensure moms and families have access to programs and services that support healthy pregnancies.

In 2008 March of Dimes invested nearly $20 million in research to understand, treat and prevent the serious health problems that threaten babies. This research improves the care of mothers and babies in Massachusetts, throughout the United States and across the globe. At our six Prematurity Research Centers teams of brilliant minds from a range of disciplines look for answers and share discoveries to transform our understanding of preterm birth, including causes and preventions. Learn more at marchofdimes.org/research.

March of Dimes helps all women have healthy pregnancies and strong babies by providing the latest health information in English and Spanish on preconception, prenatal, postpartum and newborn care. In 2018 March of Dimes trained hundreds of pharmacists on guidelines for women being prescribed low-dose aspirin for the prevention of preeclampsia. Providers from multiple fields came together and developed a state action plan to ensure women have access to low-dose aspirin to prevent preterm birth.

March of Dimes is a powerful voice for the needs of pregnant women, infants, children and families in Massachusetts. In 2018 March of Dimes secured a legislative win by advocating for legislation to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products and electronic cigarettes from age 18 to 21.

March of Dimes is a founding member in much of the quality improvement work across the state of Massachusetts. March of Dimes was a founding partner of the Massachusetts Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a strong partner of the Neonatal Quality Improvement Collaborative and sits on the executive level of leadership of the Perinatal Neonatal Quality Improvement Network (PNQIN). March of Dimes was instrumental in gathering a high profile Advisory Board for PNQIN, helping increase visibility of the collaborative among lawmakers and local stakeholders.

March of Dimes helps families when a pregnancy doesn’t go according to plan. In 2018 we launched the My NICU Baby™ app, providing free, easy to use information for all NICU families. Through the online Share Your Story™ site and Facebook mentoring program, we bring together families impacted by the biggest health threats to mom and baby. We also educate families and staff and improve the NICU experience through our two NICU Family Support™ programs operating in Massachusetts hospitals and our Training Institute for health care professionals.

March of Dimes Massachusetts works with citizen and health professional groups to elevate the issue of infant mortality, including local coalitions such as the Worcester Healthy Baby Collaborative and Project Baby Springfield.

We work with the Massachusetts Caucus of Women’s Legislators to pursue policies solutions to reduce preterm birth. We also work with the PNQIN to disseminate best practices for maternal and neonatal care to all birthing hospitals and NICUs.

SOURCES AND NOTES: Births and preterm births – National Center for Health Statistics, final natality 2017. Preterm is less than 37 weeks gestation. Birth defects – Based on CDC estimate that 1 in 33 babies is born with one or more birth defect. Infant mortality – NCHS, infant mortality, 2016. Cost of preterm birth – Institute of Medicine report, 2007.