See if your company has a matching gift program

Below is a list of companies who have matching gif programs. Is your company on the list?

AAI Corp.
Abbott Laboratories
ABN AMBRO North America Inc.

Accenture
ACF Industries, Inc.
Acuson
ADC Telecommunications
Addison Weley Longman
Adobe Systems, Inc.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

AEGON USA, Inc.
Aetna, Inc.
AGL Resources, Inc.
AIM Management Group, Inc.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Akzo Nobel, Inc.
Alaska Airlines
Albany International Corp.

Albemarle Corp.
Albertson's Inc.
Alcan Aluminum Corp.
Alcoa, Inc.
Alexander and Baldwin, Inc.

Alexander Haas Martin and Partners
Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.
Allfirst Financial, Inc.
Alliance Capital Management, LP
Alliant Energy Corp.
Alliant Techsystems
Allstate Insurance Co.
Altria Group, Inc.
Amerada Hess Corp.
Ameren Corp.
American Electric Power
American Express Co.
American General Corp.
American Honda Motor Corp., Inc.
American International Group, Inc.
American National Bank
American Optical Corp.
American Standard, Inc.
American States Insurance, Co.
American Stock Exchange
American United Life Insurance Co.
Amerisure Mutual Insurance, Co.
AmerUs Group
Amgen, Inc.
AmSouth BanCorp. Foundation
AMSTED Industries, Inc.
Anadarko Petroleum, Corp.
Analog Devices, Inc.
Anchor/Russell Capital Advisor, Inc.
Andersons, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc.
Aon Corp.
Appleton Paper, Inc.
Aqua Alliance, Inc.
Aquarion , Co.
ARAMARK, Corp.
Arch Chemicals, Inc.
Archer Daniels Midland
Ares Advanced Tech.
Argonaut Group. Inc.
Ariel Capital Management, LLC.
Aristokraft, Inc.
Arkema, Inc.
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
Armtek, Corp.
Arrow Electronics, Inc.
Ashland, Inc.
Aspect Telecommunications Associates Corp. of North America
Assurant Health
Astoria Federal Savings
AstraZenca
At&T
Atlantic City Electric Co.
Atlantic Data Services, Inc.
Autodest, Inc.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
AVAYA, Inc.
Avery Dennison, Corp.
Avon Products, Inc.
AXA Financial
Baker Hughes, Inc.
Ball Corp.
Bancroft-Whitney
Bank of America Corp.
Bank of California, NA
Bank of Montreal
Bank of New York Co., Inc.
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Ltd.
Bank One Corp.
Bank South Corp.
Bankers Life and Casualty
Banta Crop. Foundation, Inc.
Barclays Capital
Barclays Global Investors (Canada)
Barclays Global Investors (U.S.)
C.R. Bard, Inc.
Barnes Group, Inc.
Barnett Associates, Inc.
Barrett Technology, Inc./
Barrett Communications, Inc.
BASF Corp.
Bass, Berry and Sims, PLC
Baxter International Inc.
Bay Networks
BEA Systems, Inc.
Bechtel Group, Inc.
Becton Dickinson and Co.
Belden Wire and Cable Co.
BellSouth Corp.
Bemis Co., Inc.
BeneTemps, Inc.
L.M. Berry and Co.
BHP Minerals International, Inc.
Binney and Smith, Inc.
Bituminous Casualty Corp.
Black and Decker Corp.
Blount Foundation, Inc.
Blue Bell, Inc.
BMC Industries, Inc.
BMO Financial Group, US
BOC Group, Inc.
Boeing Co.
Bonneville International Corp.
Borden Family of Cos.
Boston Gear
Boston Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Bowater, Inc.
Bowater Newsprint, Calhoun Operations
BP
BRAKELEY Briscoe, Inc.
Branch Banking & Trust, Co.
Bridgestone Americans Holding, Inc.
Brink's Co.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
Bronco Wine Co.
Brown Shoe Co., Inc.
Brown-Forman Corp.
Brush Engineered Materials, Inc.
BTR Sealing Systems Group
Buell Industries, Inc.
Bunge North America, Inc.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.
Business and Legal Reports, Inc.
Butler Manufacturing Co.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Calex Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Calpine, Corp.
CambridgeSoft
Campbell Soup Foundation
Canadian Pacific Railway
Capital Group Cos.
Capital One Services, Inc.
Cardinal Health
Cargill, Inc.
Caranegie Corp. of New York
Castrol North America
Carson Products Co.
Catalina Marketing, Corp.
Catepillar, Inc.
Central Illinois Light Co.
Chesapeake Corp.
ChevronTexaco Corp.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Chicago Title and Trust Co.
Chicago Tribune Co.
Chiquita Brands International
Chubb and Sone, Inc.
Church and Dwight Co., Inc.
Church Mutual Insurance Co.
Ciba Specialty Chemical Corp.
CIGNA Corp.
Cincinnati Bell, Inc.
Cinergy Corp.
Cingular Wireless
Circuit City Stores, Inc.
CIT Group, Inc.
CITGO Petroleum Corp.
Citigroup
Citrix Systems, Inc.
Clariant Corp.
Clark Construction Group, Inc.
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. and Associated Co.
Clopay Corp.
Clorox Co.
CNA
Coca-Cola Co.
Colgate-Palmolive Co.
Collins and Aikman Corp.
Colonial Management Association, Inc.
Colinial Penn Group, Inc.
Columbia Energy Group Service Corp.
Columbus Life Insurance Co.
Comerica, Inc.
Commonwealth Edison Co.
Commonwealth Fund
Community Bank System, Inc.
Computer Associates International, Inc.
Computer Network Technology Crop.
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Conexant
Congoleum Corp.
Connecticut Natural Gas Corp.
Conocco, Inc.
CONRAIL, Inc.
Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc.
Constellation Energy
Consumer Programs, Inc.
Co-Op Banking Group Co's.
Cooper Industries
Copley Press, Inc.
Corning, Inc.
CPI Corp.
Crane Co.
Cranston Print Works Co.
Crow, Chizek, and Co., LLC
CRT Properties, Inc.
Crum & Forster CSC Index
CSG Systems, Inc. CSX Corp.
CUNA Mutual Group D&B
DaimlerChrysler Corp. Dana Corp.
Danforth Foundation
Darden Resturant
Data Services Direct
Datatel, Inc.
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
David L. Babson and Co., Inc.
Deloitte and Touche
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Deluxe Crop.
Demont and Associates, Inc.
DENSO International America, Inc.
Dental Service of Massachusetts
Deutsche Bank Americas
A.W.G. Dewar, Inc.
Dictaphone Corp.
Diebold, Inc.
Difco Laboratories
Digital Sciences Corp.
Dole Food Co., Inc.
Dominion
Dominion Foundation
Donaldson Co., Inc.
R.R. Donnelley and Sons Co.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Dow AgroSciences, LLC
Dow Corning Corp.
Dow Jones and Co., Inc.
Dresser Industries, Inc.
Dresser-Rand Co.
DSM Engineering Plastics, Inc.
DTE Energy
Duff-Norton Co.
Duke Energy
Duracell International, Inc.
Eastern Bank
Eastern Mountain Sports
Eaton Crop.
Eaton Vance Management
eBay, Inc.
Ecolab, Inc.
Eddie Bauer
Edison International
EducationQuest Foundation, Inc.
Educators Mutual Life Insurance Co.
El Paso Energy Corp.
Eli Lilly and Co.
Emerson Electric Co.
Endo Pharmaceutical
Energen Corp.
Enesco Group
Engelhard Corp.
Entergy
Equifax, Inc.
Equitable Resources, Inc.
Equiva Services, LLC
ERE Yarmouth
Erie Insurance Group
Ernst and Young, LLP
Essex Industries
Esterline Corp.
Ethyl Corp.
ExxonMobil (Education)
Factory Mutual Insurance Co.
Fannie Mae and the Fannie Mae Foundation
Federated Department Stores, Inc.
Feingold and Feidgold Insurance
Ferro Corp.
Fidelity Investments
Fiduciary Trust Co., Boston
Jamee and Marshall Field Foundation
Fifth Third Bancorp.
First Allmerica Financial Life Insurance Co.
First Data Crop.
First Hawaiian Bank
First Horizion National Corp.
First National Bank of Hudson
FirstEnergy Corp.
Fluor Corp.
FMC Corp.
Follett Corp.
Ford Foundation -Legal Services Ford Motor Co.
Ford Motor Co. of Canada, Ltd. Fortis Woodbury
Fortis Health
Fortune Brands, Inc.
Foster Wheeler Corp.
Foxboro Co.
FPL Group, Inc.
Freddie Mac
Frederic W. Wook and Co., Inc.
Freeport-McMoRan
H.B. Fuller Co.
Fulton Financial Corp.
E. and J. Gallo Winery
Gannett Co., Inc.
Gap Inc.
Gartner Group
Gary-Williams Co./Piton Foundation
GATX Corp.
GE Osmonics, Inc.
GenCorp
General Cable Co.
General Defense Corp.
General Electric Canada, Inc.
General Electric Co.
General Mills, Inc.
General Motors Corp.
General Re Corp.
M. Arthur Gensler, Jr., and Associates, Inc.
Geon Co.
Georgia-Pacific Co.
Georgia Power Co.
Gerber Products Co.
Gerber Scientific, Inc.
J. Paul Getty Trust
Gilbane Building Co.
Gillette Co.
GKN America Corp.
GlaxoSmithKline
Glenmede Corp.
Globe Newspaper Co.
Gnat, Inc.
Goldman Sachs Group, Ltd.
Good Value Homes, Inc.
Goodrich Corp.
Gould Electronics, Inc.
Goulds Pumps, Inc.
Government Employees Insurance Co.
GPU, Inc.
W.R. Grance and Co.
Graco, Inc.
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Grant Thornton, LLP
Grantham Mayo, Van Otterloo and Co., LLC
Graphics Controls Corp.
Great West Casualty Co.
Greenleaf Enterprises, LLC
GreenPoint Bank
Gregory Poole Equipment Co.
Grenzebach, Glier and Associates, Inc.
Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co.
GTECH Corp.
Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America Guidant Corp.
Guide One Insurance
Gulf Power Co.
H & R Block, Inc.
Halliburton Co.
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Hambrecht and Quist, LLC
Hampton and Harper, Inc.
M.A. Hanno Co.
Hanover Insurance Co.
Harley-Davidson Motor Co.
Harleysville Mutual Insurance Co.
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
Harris Crop.
Hartford Financial Services Group
Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co.
HSB Group, Inc.
Hartmarx Corp.
Hasbro, Inc.
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.
Haworth, Inc.
HBO
H.J. Heinz Co.
Heller Financial, Inc.
Henry Luce Foundation
Herold and Associates
Hershey Foods Corp.
Heublein Foundation, Inc.
Hewitt Associates, LLC
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Hibernia National Bank
Higher Education Publications, Inc.
Hillman Co.
Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc.
Holmes and Narver, Inc.
Holyoke Mutual Insurance Co. in Salem
Homestake Mining Co.
Honeywell International
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Hormel Foods Corp.
Houghton Chemical Corp.
Houghton Mifflin Co.
HSB Group
HSBC - North America
HSB-Industrial Risk Insurers
Hubbell, Inc.
J.M. Huber Corp.
Huffy Corp.
Hughes Electronics Crop.
ICI Americas, Inc.
IDEX Corp.
IKON Office Solutions
Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
Inco United States, Inc.
Independence Investment Associates, Inc.
Information Technology Systems
InfoSpace
Ingersoll-Rand Co.
Intron Corp.
Integon Corp.
Intel Foundation
International Business Machines Corp.
International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.
International Textile Group, Inc.
International Student Exchange Cards, Inc.
Invensys Building Systems
IPALCO Enterpises, Inc.
J. Walter Thompson Co.
J.P. Morgan Chase and Co.
Jefferies Group, Inc.
Jefferson-Pilot Communications Co.
John Brown, Inc.
John Hancock Funds
John Hancock Life Insurance Co.
John Wilen and Sons Inc., Publishers
Johns Manville Corp.
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Johnson and Johnson Family of Cos.
S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc.
JSJ Corp.
Juniper Networks
Kansas City Southern
Karmazin Products Corp.
Kearney-National, Inc.
Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, Inc.
Kellogg Co.
M.W. Kellogg Co.
Kennametal, Inc.
Kennedy Associates Real Estate Counsel, Inc.
Kerr-McGee Corp.
KeyCorp
Keyspan Energy
Keystone Associates, Inc.
Kimberly Clark Foundation
Kingsbury Corp.
Kiplinger Washington Editors
KN Energy, Inc.
Knight-Ridder
Koch Enterprises, Inc.
Koehler Building Co., Inc.
H. Kohnstamm and Co., Inc.
Korte Construction Co.
KPMG, LLP
Laboratory Corp. of America
Lam Research Corp.
Lamson and Sessions Co.
Lan O'Lakes Foundation
LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc.
Law Co., Inc.
Law Co's. Group, Inc.
Lehigh Cement Co.
Lehman Brothers
Leo Burnett Co., Inc.
Levi Strauss and Co.
LEXIS-NEXIS
Lexmark International, Inc.
Libbey-Owens Ford Co.
Lincoln Financial Advisors
Link Engineering Co., Inc.
Thomas J. Lipton Co.
Litton Irek Optical Systems
Liz Claiborne, Inc.
Lockheed Martin Crop.
Loews Corp.
Lojack Corp.
Lubrizol Corp.
Lucky Stores, Inc.
Lukens, Inc.
Lumina Foundation for Education
Lyondell Chemical Co.
M/A/R/C Group
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
MacLean-Fogg Co.
Joshia Macy, Jr. Foundation
Maguire Oil Co.
Mallinckrodt, Inc.
Management Compensation Group/Dulworth, Inc.
Manu life Financial
Marathon Oil Co.
Mairtz, Inc.
Marley Co.
Marsh and McLennan Co's., Inc.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Massachusetts Port Authority
MasterCard International, Inc.
Mattel, Inc.
Maxus Energy Crop.
May Department Stores Co.
Maytag Corp.
Mazda (North America), Inc.
McAfee, Inc.
McCormick and Co., Inc.
McDonald's Corp.
McGraw-Hill Co's.
McKesson Corp.
McKnight Foundation
MEADWestvaco Crop.
Mebane Packaging Corp.
MedPointe
Medtronic, Inc.
Mellon Financial Corp. Menasha Corp.
Mentor Graphics Merck and Co., Inc.
Meredith Corp.
Meridian Insurance Co.
Merit Oil Corp.
Merrill Lynch and Co., Inc.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
Metso Automation
Mettler-Toiledo, Inc.
Microsoft Corp.
Midlane Life Insurance Co.
Miehl-Gross-Dexter, Inc.
Milliken and Co.
Millipore Corp.
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.
Minerals Technologies, Inc.
Mississippi Power Co.
Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics U.S.
Mitsubishi International Corp.
Mizuho Financial Group
Mobil Retirees
Moen, Inc.
Monroe Auto Equipment Co.
Monsanto Co.
Moody's Corp.
MOOG, Inc.
Morgan Construction Co.
Morgan Stanley
Morrison & Foerster, LLP
Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp.
Motorola, Inc.
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
MSI Insurance
MTS Systems Corp.
Murphy Oil Corp.
Mutual of America
Mutual of Omaha
NACCO Industries, Inc
National City
National City Bank of Pennsylvania
National Grid Cos.
National Gypsum Co.
National Semiconductor Corp.
National Starch and Chemical Co.
Nationwide
NCR Corp.
NetOptix Corp.
New England Business Service, Inc.
New England Electric System Cos.
New Jersey Natural Gas Co.
New York Life Insurance
New York State and Electric & Gas Corp.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Times Co.
Newmont Mining Corp.
Nicor Gas
Nielsen Media Research
NIKE, Inc.
Nissan North America, Inc.
Nordson Corp.
Norfolk and Dedham Group
Norfolk Southern Corp.
North Jersey Media Group, Inc.
Northern States Power Co.
Northern Telecom, Inc.
Northern Trust Co.
Northrop Grumman
Northwestern Mutual
W.W. Norton and Co., Inc.
Novartis Corp.
Novell, Inc.
NSTAR
Nuveen Investments
Office Depot
Ohio National Financial Services
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.
Old Mutual Asset Management Charitable Foundation
Olin Corp.
OMNOVA Solutions, Inc.
Ondeo Nalco Co.
One Beacon Insurance
Openaka Corp, Inc.
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Oracle Corp.
Organon International, Inc.
OSRAM SYLVANIA
Otter Tail Power Co.
Owens-Illinois, Inc.
Oxford Industries, Inc.
PACCAR, Inc.
Pacific Life Insurance Co.
Palm, Inc.
Pan-American Life Insurance Co.
Parker Hannifin Corp.
Paul Revere Co's.
PCL Construction, Inc.
Pella Corp.
Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Pentair, Inc.
Penzoil Co.
People's Bank
PepsiCo Foundation
Peterson Consulting, Ltd. Partnership
Pew Charitable Trusts
Pfizer, Inc.
PG and E Corp.
P.H. Gladfelter Co.
Philips Electronics North America Corp.
Phoenix Co's., Inc.
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Pioneer Investments
Pitney Bowes, Inc.
PJM Interconnection, LLC
Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Plymouth Rock Foundation
PNC Financial Services Group
PNM
Pogo Producting Co.
Polaroid Corp.
Pope and Talbot, Inc.
Potlach Corp.
PPG Industries, Inc.
PPL Corp.
PQ Corp.
Preformed Line Products Co.
Price and Pierce International, Inc.
Principal Financial Group
Procter and Gamble Co.
Progress Energy
Proskauer Rose, LLP
Provident Co's., Inc.
Providian Crop.
Providian Financial
Prudential Financial
Public Service Electric and Gas Co.
Percolator Products, Inc.
Quaker Chemical Corp.
Quest Diagnostics, Inc.
Radio Shack
Random House Rayonier Foundation
Raytheon Co.
RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc.
Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
RealNetworks, Inc.
Reebok International, Ltd.
Reliable Life Insurance Co.
Reuter America, Inc.
Revlon, Inc.
Rexam, Inc.
Rexnord Corp.
Rhodia, Inc.
Riviana Foods Inc.
RLI Insurance Co.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Rochester Midland Corp.
Rockefeller Brother Fund, Inc.
Rockefeller Family and Associates
Rockefeller Group
Rockwell Automation
RONIN Development Corp.
Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Ryco Divison,
Reilly-Whiteman, Inc.
SAFECO Corp.
Saint-Gobain Corp. Foundation
Sallie Mae
Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.
Sara Lee Corp.
SBC Communications, Inc.
Schering-Plough Corp.
Charles Schwab and Co., Inc.
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.
Scientific Brake and Equipment Co.
Scott, Foresman and Co.
E.W. Scipps Co.
Scudder-Kemper Investments
Sealed Air Corp.
Securian Financial Group
Sensient Technology Corp.
Sempra Energy
Sealright Co., Inc.
Sentry Insurance Foundation, Inc.
Seton Co.
SGL Carbon Corp.
Shaklee Corp.
Sheldahl, Inc.
Shell Oil Co.
Shenandoah Life Insurance Co.
Sherwin-Williams Co.
Showa Denko Carbon, Inc.
Sierra Pacific Resources
Sifco Industries, Inc.
Skystone Ryan
Smith International, Inc.
Softsheen/Carson Products
Sonoco Products Co.
Sony Corp. of America
Southwest Gas Corp.
Spelman and Johnson Group
Spiegel, Inc.
Springs Industries, Inc.
Sprint Corp.
SPS Technoligies, Inc.
SPX Corp.
St. Paul Travelers
Sta-Rite Industries, Inc.
A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co.
Standard Insurance Co.
Standard Products Co.
Stanley Works
State Farm Insurance Co's.
State Street Corp.
Stauffer Communications, Inc.
Steel Heddle Manufacturing Co.
Steelcase, Inc.
StorageTek
STREM Chemicals
Subaru of America, Inc.
Sun Life Assurance Co of Canada
Sun Microsystem, Inc.
SunTrust Bank, Atlanta
SUPERALU, INC.
Susquehanna Investment Group
Swank, Inc.
Swedish Match
Swisher International Group, Inc.
Swiss Bank Corp.
SYSCO Corp.
3Com Corp.
3M
TCF National Bank, Minnesota
Teagle Foundation, Inc.
Technimetrics, Inc.
Tektronix, Inc.
Telcordia Technologies
Teledyne Technologies, Inc.
Tellabs, Inc.
Temple-Inland, Inc.
Tenet Healthcare Crop.
TENNANT
Tesoro Hawaii Crop.
Tesoro Petroleum Corp
Tetley USA, Inc.
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Texon International
Textron, Inc.
THAT Corp.
Thomson Corp.
Thomson Professional & Regulatory, Inc.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Tietex International, Ltd.
Time, Inc.
Time Warner
Times Publishing Co.
Tomkins Corp. Foundation
Toro Co.
Towers, Perin, Forster and Crosby
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Travelers Express Co., Inc.
T.Rowe Price Group, Inc.
TTX Co.
Turner Broadcasting
Turner Corp.
Tyco International, Ltd.
UGI Corp.
Unilever United States, Inc.
Union Central Life Insurance Co.
Union Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
Union Pacific Corp.
Unisource Foundation
United Fire and Casualty Co.
United Parcel Service
United States Automobile Association
United Technologies Corp.
Unitrin, Inc.
Universal Studios
U.S. Bancorp.
U.S. Borax, Inc.
USG Corp.
UST, Inc.
Utica National Insurance Group
Valero Energy Corp.
Vanguard Group, Inc.
Verizon Corp.
Vitaluic Co. of America
Virginia Power/North Carolina Power
Vulcan Materials Co.
Wachovia Bank, NA
Wallace and Wallace, Ltd.
Walt Disney Co. Foundation Warnaco
Warner Brothers
Washington Dental Service
Washington Group International, Inc.
Washington Mutual
Washington Post Co.
C.J. Webb, Inc.
Welch Foods, Inc., a Cooperative
Wells Fargo and Co.
West Group
Westar Energy, Ind.
Weyerhaeuser Co.
Whirlpool Corp.
Whitaker Corp.
Williams
Williams Gas Pipeline/Transco Energy Co.
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
Winter Wyman And Co.
Wiremold Co.
Wisconsin Energy Corp.
WJ Communications, Inc.
Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
Words At Work, Inc.
Wyeth
Wyman-Gordon Co.
Xerox Corp.
Xtra Corp., Charitable Foundation
Zurich-American Insurance Group

 

We're born to appreciate parents!

The March of Dimes imbornto campaign is intended to engage with parents around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day since our quest for “stronger, healthier babies” truly begins with the most important people in babies’ lives – parents! Through our history, our support of parents has been an understated but crucial aspect of addressing the medical and public health problems that have been the focus of our mission. Only a parent can measure most profoundly the personal effects of illness and disability on a child. Our emphasis today on healthy pregnancy and healthy babies implicitly involves parents in our most important objectives. After all, this concern is at the basis of providing “News Moms Need.”

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are special occasions to honor one’s parents. In the 1950s the March of Dimes recognized Mother’s Day by selecting an annual “Polio Mother of the Year.” But the hoopla surrounding such publicity skirts the momentous fact that the conquest of polio was achieved by millions of women (and men) who joined“Mothers March,” the most successful fund-raiser of those years. “Mothers March on Polio” soon became “Mothers March on Birth Defects,” and the volunteer moms and dads behind these efforts were as much responsible for improving children’s health as the creators of vaccines and the leaders in perinatal breakthroughs. This is but one reason why we laud the contributions of mothers and fathers today.

From Virginia Apgar’s 1972 book of advice to new parents, Is My Baby All Right?, to our decades-long involvement in supporting families undergoing the traumatic experience of a NICU hospitalization, the March of Dimes has appreciated the role of parents in children’s health. Our current push for creating transdisciplinary centers for research on premature birthruns parallel to our propensity for collaboration and team-building, and the role of parents in these endeavors is just as fundamental to the overarching social goals of improving children’s health.

In 1955, the National Father’s Day Committee selected March of Dimes President Basil O’Connor as “Father of the Year.” In the wake of the success of the polio vaccine created with March of Dimes funds by Dr. Jonas Salk, his selection may seem to us all-too-obvious in retrospect. His daughters, Sheelagh O’Connor and Bettyann Culver, attended a recognition luncheon, and the requisite photographs were taken. Among the many letters of congratulations that O’Connor received, one close business contact wrote, “You are a good father, and you are an exceptionally good citizen and good friend.” It is in this spirit of warm appreciation that the March of Dimes pays tribute to mothers and fathers. Hats off to all moms and dads!

What is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist?

A maternal-fetal medicine specialist is an obstetrician who concentrates on the care of pregnant women and babies in high-risk situations. Another name for this doctor is a perinatologist.

 

A maternal-fetal medicine specialist treats women with a number of conditions. Complications with mom’s health, include:
• A history of multiple miscarriages or premature birth
• Diabetes (gestational or preexisting)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Preeclampsia
• Infectious disease (toxoplasmosis, parvovirus, HIV/AIDS, etc.) or chronic illness
• Rh disease
• A family history of heart, kidney, or other disease

A maternal-fetal medicine specialist often treat pregnant women who are carrying multiples (twins, triplets or more) as the risk for preterm birth is significantly increased.

This doctor also specializes in the care of women whose baby is known to have:
• Abnormal fetal growth
• A known birth defect or suspected genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome, Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18
• A baby with macrosomia (too large)
• A baby with fetal growth restriction (too small)

If you find yourself in a position where the risk of complications is higher than the average pregnancy, ask your current health care provider for a referral to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. You may or may not need the extra care, but it will be good to get a second opinion.

Surviving the heat wave

Hazy, hot, humid… and possibly humungous if you’re pregnant. Ugh! Summer heat waves can be exceptionally tough on pregnant women. When pregnant, you can be extra sensitive to the harsh rays of the sun, to heat, to dehydration. Here are some tips on surviving nature’s torments.

- Stay inside in the air conditioning, but if you feel you must go to the beach, take a big umbrella with you and sit in its shade. Spritzing yourself with water from time to time may feel great and help cool you.
- Exercise in the cool of the day if you are doing something outside. Swimming is excellent, but if the air quality is bad or you have asthma, try to stay indoors.
- Slather on the sun block before going out, using an SPF of 30 or higher. Reapply it regularly – goopify!
- Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect not only your face, but ears and neck. Caps don’t protect as well.
- Wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays, even with a hat.
- Wear light-weight, breathable, loose-fitting clothing.
- If you wear sandals to help keep your feet cool, be sure to keep suntan lotion on your feet. And put those piggies up for a rest whenever you can.
- Walk on the side of the street that has shade. (The sun is hottest between 10 AM and 4 PM so try to avoid going out then.)
- Drink water throughout the day. Carry a refillable water bottle with you and leave one in the car. Drinking slightly warm water is better than drinking no water. Sport drinks and OJ can help replace electrolytes that you may be sweating away. Remember, despite the heat, pregnant women just sweat more to begin with.
- Reduce your level of activity when heat and humidity are high. Now might be a good time to practice being a couch potato!
- If you do overheat, apply a cool damp cloth to your forehead and back of the neck. Ice cream is good for helping to lower your temp, but fruity pops are better.
- If you feel weak, dizzy, or lightheaded, or you’re overly thirsty, go indoors immediately. Drink some cool water or a sport drink and lie down. If you don’t feel better soon, call your health care provider.

Mental Health Medications and Pregnancy

WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND BENEFITS FOR MOM AND BABY?

Experts Discuss Long-Term Use of Prescriptions for Mental Health and
Their Implications During Pregnancy

NEW YORK, NY, JUNE 6, 2013 – No woman should stop taking her mental health medication if she gets pregnant without first talking to her doctor, experts said today at a luncheon for reporters hosted by March of Dimes National Communications Advisory Council.

Some young women have been on antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, or medication for attention deficit disorders since they were teenagers. Now as women of childbearing age or mothers-to-be, they should seek support and guidance from health care providers to determine if they should continue, stop or switch to a different drug.

More than half of pregnant women take at least one prescription medication at some time during pregnancy, the experts said.

Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, the director of Clinical Research at Rady Children’s Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California San Diego, and Kimberly A. Yonkers, MD, director of the PMS and Perinatal Psychiatric Research Program at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, discussed how widespread the use of these medications are and their relative risks.

“Pregnant women should talk to their doctor about which medications they are taking, and what are the best options for them while pregnant. It is important to balance the possible risks and benefits of all medications to the mother and the baby,” said Dr. Yonkers.

Women should not just quit taking their medications, Dr. Yonkers said. If a woman prefers to stop her medications and her physicians agree that it is a reasonable option, she can do so and be monitored.

"Women agonize over whether or not to continue their mental health medications while pregnant," said Dr. Chambers, who helps direct California's MotherToBaby pregnancy exposure counseling phone line that advises thousands of women every year. She pointed out that one out of every 33 babies has some type of birth defect regardless of medication use, so it can be difficult to tell what role the drug may have played in causing a birth defect.

When possible, women and their doctors should discuss the options before pregnancy so they can weigh the potential risk to the baby with the clear risks of stopping treatment, said Dr. Chambers.

For information about medication during pregnancy please visit: http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/drugs-herbs-and-dietary-supplements.aspxor the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website http://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/index.html.

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