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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Marie James, MHA, MHEd, Partners for Families, 212 E. Spruce Street, Norristown, PA 19401, 610-733-3124, dsmith@marchofdimes.com and Dolores T. Smith, MPH, March of Dimes, 1019 W. Ninth Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

Since church is the center of community for many populations, the March of Dimes collaborated with a council of churches in one borough in Southeastern Pennsylvania to develop a pilot program to reduce the risk of preterm birth among minority women. African American female residents in this town were twice as likely to deliver a very preterm baby (before 32 weeks gestation) as Caucasian residents, and also experienced correspondingly high rates of low birth weight infants. An Advisory Group of women congregants was formed to host a series of preconception health programs, to increase regular exercise by forming Walking Clubs, and to identify women congregants to serve as mentors to pregnant women. Outcome measures include the number of participants, self-reported behavioral changes, and birth outcomes. This program received funding through a cooperative agreement with the March of Dimes and the CDC's Division of Reproduction Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Learning Objectives: