The Road Forward for March of Dimes
Cindy Rahman, President & CEO of March of Dimes, talks about the organization’s role in improving maternal and infant health care in Philadelphia and the research that’s shaping the future of pregnancy care.
What is the state of maternal and infant health in Philadelphia? How is March of Dimes helping? Cindy Rahman: Philadelphia reflects the national crisis in maternal and infant health, but also the opportunities we have to drive change. In our most recent March of Dimes Report Card, the city earned a D- for the second year in a row, with a preterm birth rate of 11.2%, which is higher than the national average of 10.4%. Racial disparities are stark: Black infants are born preterm at a rate of 14.2%. And the city’s most recent report on severe maternal complications during childbirth showed those events are rising—a reminder that too many moms here are facing dangerous, life-threatening outcomes.
To respond, we’re addressing every part of the pregnancy journey, from preconception and prenatal care to labor, delivery and postpartum support. Locally, we participate in stakeholder groups such as Organized Voices for Action (OVA) with the Philadelphia Department of Health, which convenes maternal and infant health stakeholders to support local initiatives, including an “Early Warning Signs” program.
In addition, we’re leading local doula collaboration projects with health systems, providing maternal mental health education to community-based organizations, supporting the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, and advancing legislation that promotes equity in maternal health outcomes.
What March of Dimes-backed community programs are you most excited about?
CR: We’re especially excited about our partnership with Main Line Health, where we are working together to build a welcoming environment for doulas and families. This includes evaluating and updating policies, creating patient-facing information, educating providers and fostering collaborative relationships between the health system and community-based organizations.
In addition, we host a Community Baby Shower in Chester City with Penn Medicine and the Philadelphia Union to provide education, resources and baby items for local families. These programs not only meet immediate needs but also strengthen trust and connection between families and the health system.
What are the most important outcomes that have come from March of Dimes–funded research in the last five years?
CR: March of Dimes–funded scientists have made significant progress toward developing maternal blood tests that can predict the risk of preeclampsia, a leading cause of maternal and infant death. Across our global Prematurity Research Centers, additional teams are using AI and electronic health records to flag preterm birth and cardiovascular risks earlier, while researchers in London are developing a live biotherapeutic that may prevent microbiome-driven preterm birth, which accounts for nearly a third of cases. And these aren’t distant concepts. Clinical validation studies are already underway. The goal is simple but transformative: to shift from crisis management to prevention—predicting complications before they happen and stopping emergencies before they start.
