Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Dr. James F. Padbury, pediatrician-in-chief at Women & Infants Hospital, is among seven researchers nationwide to receive grants from the March of Dimes under a new initiative promoting research into premature births.

Padbury, who is also vice chairman for pediatric research at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, is studying how infections, the environment and genetics lead to preterm births. His grant of $300,000 is part of $2.7 million being disbursed over the next three years as part of the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative.

"This research is critical to ending the epidemic of preterm birth," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes Foundation. "The goal is for every baby to be born healthy and full-term."

More than half a million babies are born prematurely each year (before 37 completed weeks gestation); many die, while others face serious and sometimes lifelong health problems. In Rhode Island, as in the rest of the country, about 1 in 8 babies is born too soon.

Read our special report on premature births.

 Tags  Providence RI

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