Purpose of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

The March of Dimes Foundation was originally created to combat polio. The organization was able to successfully accomplish this aim with the creation of the polio vaccine, which was provided across the country in mass doses. The various county chapters helped in the proper dissemination of information with regards to polio and the polio vaccine. The result of the efforts was that polio as a birth defect has been eradicated completely from United States and from most parts in the world.

Once the polio eradication mission was achieved the foundation expanded its mission to include various other birth defects. The foundation has been able to fight various birth defects and one of these was the ability to identify and prevent various forms of mental retardation. A lot was achieved during this phase.

Over time the foundation has launched an awareness campaign called Babies and You. This is a program that has brought prenatal education to the workplace. Other programs have also been created to educate women of childbearing age about the various positives of folic acid, nutrition and more.

As part of their advocacy program the foundation was able to bring about the Birth Defects Prevention Act in 1998. This was an act that resulted in a national network that monitored birth defects. The mission of the foundation has changed over time to include efforts to reduce the number of premature births. There is also an effort to reduce the proportion of premature defects since they are known to lead to various newborn deaths and complications later.

Today the mission of the foundation is help mothers have a full term in their pregnancies and to research the various causes that result in premature pregnancies and health issues in newborn babies. The efforts have been modified over time to include the overall health of mothers and babies too.

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