UNEXPECTED
TIMES.
RESPONDING
WITH IMPACT.
No one could have predicted the year that 2020 became. COVID-19 turned our lives upside down, but that didn’t stop March of Dimes—or you—from fighting for the health of all moms and babies.
ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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Even before the pandemic, the U.S. remained among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth,
March of Dimes took a leading role to protect the health of families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting communities during the global health emergency
March of Dimes’ NICU Initiatives offer multiple ways for families with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and NICU staff at hospitals we partner with to access support and education they need to help improve the patient experience.
Helping all families get through a most difficult time
Better lifelong health begins with Supportive Pregnancy Care® (SPC), a group prenatal care program that aims to improve care delivery, increase social support and reduce women’s risk of preterm birth.
Refocusing to actively engage parents-to-be in their health care
especially for women and babies of color.
March of Dimes strives to help uninsured and under-insured women of childbearing age get access to quality health care for themselves and their babies.
Bringing critical services to pregnant people where there’s a lack of maternity care
Moms and babies can’t wait. Pregnancy can’t pause. That’s why families in communities all across the country needed us to find a way to come together for them.
Stepping up to raise funds for families in need
In 2020 March of Dimes launched a new consumer engagement platform—It Starts With Mom—that raised awareness and funds for the organization and provided women with health and wellness resources for every stage of motherhood.
Equipping moms to be their own best advocates
Our research grants support actionable science focused on early stages of pregnancy and neonatal development, preterm birth causes and interventions, and diagnostics and therapeutics for pregnancy and infant health.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT GREAT INNOVATIONS
For families everywhere, we advocated on behalf of, against or monitored more than 150 state legislative bills throughout 2020 to improve health equity for all moms and babies and ensure that every family is healthy.
Prioritizing mom and baby health across the country
March of Dimes demanded #BlanketChange in memory of the 700 women who die each year from childbirth or pregnancy-related causes by calling on policymakers to prioritize our nation’s moms and babies and take immediate action to improve their health.
Taking action to create positive change for moms and babies everywhere
Through our advocacy, we increased awareness of the March of Dimes mission utilizing our Celebrity Advocate Council members and friends as well as their followers to reach new audiences, including:
Engaging prominent people to improve the maternal and infant health crisis
+ PORSHA WILLIAMS
March of Dimes offers a range of educational opportunities for health care professionals, including Implicit Bias Training.
Identifying and remedying implicit bias and educating health care providers
Amidst the nation struggling with racial justice and COVID-19, March of Dimes jumped into action to protect pregnant people and their families across the country.
We met the needs of families by publishing important reports that shed light on racial disparities in health care and establishing a fund to raise critical money to improve mom and baby health.
Meeting the needs of a global pandemic and shining a light on health inequities
Volunteers drive our work to help families get the best possible start. With help from people like you, we’re making an impact through education, research and advocacy.
Taking the lead to protect moms, babies and families
50K+
NICU Online Education Series
During the initial wave of COVID-19 infections, March of Dimes created Supportive Pregnancy Virtual Groups (SPVG) to provide social support and education to expecting individuals in a safe, virtual space. In 2020, including repeat attendees, we hosted hundreds of pregnant individuals at our SPC sites and for SPVG sessions.
Throughout 2020, March of Dimes’ mobile health units provided 2,000 patient visits. These buses in 5 communities, such as in Arizona, Ohio and Washington, D.C., delivered pregnancy testing, prenatal care and social support services—all free of charge.
families
nationwide
we reached
we launched the
through our NICU Initiatives, including the NICU Family Support® program and the My NICU Baby® App.
to support all families and answer questions with NICU clinical staff. We invested in HIPAA compliant Zoom accounts so our NFS Program Coordinators could work with families virtually, and meet with families who couldn't be present in the NICU.
In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic and to address restrictions on in-person gatherings, we pivoted our largest annual fundraising event to be virtual with the March for Babies Step Up! campaign.
$25M+
RAISED BY 70K individuals, companies and teams in 114 markets
and 170K social engagements with more than 95M media impressions, including features
in publications such as Parents, Forbes, BabyGaga, Parade, ABC News Radio and Latin Times.
LIVE STREAM VIEWS
206K
through March of Dimes digital channels during the campaign period.
1.5M
VIEWERS
we reached
With your help, we provided...
5,292+
meals for frontline workers and
NICU families
80+
tablets delivered
to hospital
partners
2,133+
nicu bags with
essential supplies
450+
blood pressure
cuffs delivered to
at-risk women
225
breast pumps
1.4M+
PEOPLE WITH
MORE THAN
550K VIEWS
we hosted
19 WEBINARS,
REACHING
21,838+
MASKS
Among the highlights is March of Dimes Georgia celebrating the passage of HB 1114, which extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 6 months. About a dozen additional states proposed Medicaid waivers, financial estimates or other initiatives designed to extend coverage during the postpartum period.
We utilized the pandemic to promote advocacy efforts for paid family/sick leave. While a handful of states temporarily broadened access to paid sick leave, New York and Colorado enacted permanent sick leave laws.
and 130 tweets were sent to members of Congress
4.3K
signed on, adding to 6K from the year’s start
2K
new advocates
emails
3,500+
through our e-learning tool, and launched 13 live sessions in 2020 to educate them on the impact systemic racism has on birth outcomes and maternal mortality and the critical role they play to lessen the effects of bias, particularly for families of color.
8,200+
PROVIDERS
we TRAINED
nurses
we provided continuing education to
as well as offering website resources, nursing modules and genetics education resources.
such as Gourmet Gala where members of Congress competed as Celebrity Chefs, and Signature Chefs Feeding Motherhood featuring Emeril Lagasse and La La Anthony to raise critical funds for March of Dimes’ work to help nourish all aspects of motherhood from prenatal to postpartum.
OTHER
INSPIRING EVENTS
WE ALSO HOSTED
+ NICK LACHEY
+ JESSICA ALBA
The Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund addressed the urgent need for research, advocacy, education, resources and support to protect moms, babies and families from COVID-19 and the unknown future effects of the virus.
Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund
2020 March of Dimes Report Card
Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund
The 2020 March of Dimes Report Card was updated to provide a comprehensive view beyond grading states based on preterm birth rates to include infant death, inadequate prenatal care and disparity ratios information and important policy solutions.
2020 March of Dimes Report Card
18
program to help military families have one less thing to worry about and have healthy, full-term babies.
in 2020 that provided new moms with a fun virtual experience as well as baby gifts, live raffles and educational videos from experts in the field. In addition to free pregnancy and health education, each mom received a Philips baby monitor, a month’s supply of diapers, breastfeeding supplies, diaper bags and more.
MISSION: HEALTHY BABY®
we HOSTED
VIRTUAL SHOWERS
Due to COVID-19 we quickly pivoted to address the unique needs of military families, which included virtualizing our
Every mom and baby should be healthy regardless of wealth, race, gender or geography.
Thank you for helping us move closer to that goal.
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MARCH FOR BABIES
OTHER EVENTS
MARCH FOR BABIES
OTHER EVENTS
more than
Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S
serving as speakers, including Allyson Felix, most decorated track and field Olympian; Fidji Simo, VP and Head of Facebook App; and Senator Tammy Duckworth.
80+
corporate leaders, health care professionals
and moms
our live events featured
on ItStartsWithMom.org, offering moms pregnancy health resources.
45K+
website views
and 170K social engagements with more than 95M media impressions, including features
in publications such as Parents, Forbes, BabyGaga, Parade, ABC News Radio and Latin Times.
206K
LIVE STREAM VIEWS
through March of Dimes digital channels during the campaign period.
1.5M
VIEWERS
we reached
serving as speakers, including Allyson Felix, most decorated track and field Olympian; Fidji Simo, VP and Head of Facebook App; and Senator Tammy Duckworth.
80+
corporate leaders, health care professionals
and moms
our live events featured
on ItStartsWithMom.org, offering moms pregnancy health resources.
45K+
website views
through March of Dimes digital channels during the campaign period.
1.5M
VIEWERS
we reached
and 170K social engagements with more than 95M media impressions, including features
in publications such as Parents, Forbes, BabyGaga, Parade, ABC News Radio and Latin Times.
206K
LIVE STREAM VIEWS
we funded two COVID-19 research grantees evaluating the virus’ impact on moms and babies. The grants, amounting to $250K, were made possible by donations to the March of Dimes COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund, and included:
Mass General Hospital: this study observed low rate of transfer of COVID-19 specific antibodies across the placenta, and higher rates through breast milk
University of Pennsylvania: this study found that that the virus’s effect on other bodily systems affect the placenta and pregnancy health, without infecting the placenta
To address the health of families in 2020,
3 Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Awards
2 development program fellowships
The Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize in Developmental Biology
The Agnes Higgins Award in Maternal-
Fetal Medicine
We recognized excellence with:
$1.1M for 3 Novel Discovery Grants
5 Clinical and Social Science Grants
6 Innovative Challenge Grants
We distributed:
Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S
Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund
The Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. report released in September found that 2.2M women live in maternity care deserts—counties with no hospitals offering obstetric care—and 7M women of childbearing age live in counties without access or with limited access to maternity care.
Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.
2020 March of Dimes Report Card
+ PORSHA WILLIAMS
Porsha Williams’ Instagram Live with March of Dimes President and CEO Stacey D. Stewart on the Black maternal health crisis
+ NICK LACHEY
Nick Lachey creating his own March for Babies team and encouraging his
followers to participate
+ JESSICA ALBA
Jessica Alba’s support of It Starts with Mom Live bringing more eyes to the organization
visited BlanketChange.org
14K
were reached through social posts
20M
people
nearly
people
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
OUR MARKETS
PROVIDED
1.4M+
PEOPLE WITH
MORE THAN
550K VIEWS
we hosted
19 WEBINARS,
REACHING
Our research to counter preterm birth and maternal health issues never stopped in 2020. The incredible research we supported together will lead to finding solutions to improve the health of moms and babies.
We advanced critical research by funding five Prematurity Research Centers (PRCs) located at hospitals, medical centers and universities in the U.S. and London, with total funding (due to no-cost extensions) for 2020 amounting to $5.75M.
Investing in research to solve unmet needs and
gaps in maternal
and infant health
California Collaborative (Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco):
Stanford: Maternal immune response changes and preterm birth; Community-Hospital Low-Dose Aspirin Initiative
UCSF: Biorepository of preterm birth data; and computational modeling for drug discovery for preterm birth
Ohio Collaborative (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Case Western Reserve and Vanderbilt University): Function of genes found to be associated with preterm birth; Endocrine-immune crosstalk for pregnancy maintenance
University of Chicago-Northwestern-Duke: Epigenomics (gene expression changes) of preterm birth
University of Pennsylvania: Markers of placental dysfunction and
preterm birth
Imperial College, London: Role of the microbiome in preterm birth; validation of biomarker POC test; HIV and preterm birth; epidemiology of birth outcome disparities in the UK
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
We conducted two clinical trials:
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
• A microbiome supplement to prevent inflammation that leads
to preterm birth.
• A validation of micro-RNA molecules as a diagnostic biomarker in the
development of a point-of-care test for preterm birth.
We conducted two clinical trials:
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
23 peer-reviewed PRC publications on maternal and infant health.
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
We conducted two clinical trials:
HEAR FROM PRESIDENT AND CEO STACEY D. STEWART
MARCH FOR BABIES
OTHER EVENTS
Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S
Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund
2020 March of Dimes Report Card
Mom and Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund
Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S
California Collaborative (Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco):
Stanford: Maternal immune response changes and preterm birth; Community-Hospital Low-Dose Aspirin Initiative
UCSF: Biorepository of preterm birth data; and computational modelling for drug discovery for preterm birth
Ohio Collaborative (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Case Western Reserve and Vanderbilt University): Function of genes found to be associated with preterm birth; Endocrine-immune crosstalk for pregnancy maintenance
University of Chicago-Northwestern-Duke: Epigenomics (gene expression changes) of preterm birth
University of Pennsylvania: Markers of placental dysfunction and preterm birth
Imperial College, London: Role of the microbiome in preterm birth; validation of biomarker POC test; HIV and preterm birth; epidemiology of birth outcome disparities in the UK
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
We conducted two clinical trials:
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
A microbiome supplement to prevent inflammation that leads to preterm birth.
A validation of micro-RNA molecules as a diagnostic biomarker in the development of a point-of-care test for preterm birth.
We conducted two clinical trials:
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
Our PRCs and their areas of focus included:
23 peer-reviewed PRC publications on maternal and infant health.
March of Dimes-funded research generated:
We conducted two clinical trials:
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