An organization known for its work in helping prevent birth defects has given a 10-thousand dollar grant to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Health Department spokesperson, Nicole Peckumn, says they March of Dimes grant is funding a study on the care of newborns.
Peckumn says they’ll go out and talk to new moms about four months after delivery to see if the mothers are actually using the information they get at the hospital after the babies are born. Peckumn says they’re looking at some specific things. She says they want to find out if there is any relationship to the information the mothers are getting and their lifestyle before the birth that leads to things like low birthweight babies, or things like birth defects.
Peckumn says they can use the study info to help newborns. Peckumn says the one thing they will do is take a look at improving prenatal education programs, especially those for mothers who’re at risk. The survey will be called the Iowa Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and is expected to have its first results available in spring 2008.