This Spring, in honor of Mother’s Day, March of Dimes and supporting partners -- Clearblue, Enfa, The Honest Company, Macy’s, Inc., Ovia Health, and PARENTS and PARENTS LATINA -- are raising awareness among moms, moms-to-be and the more than 6 million women who will become pregnant this year on how best to stay healthy and strong as they navigate their motherhood journey. In response to a growing maternal health crisis, and in the midst of a global pandemic impacting women who want to become pregnant or already are, It Starts With Mom is an online resource center to educate and inform moms and moms-to-be on health and wellness issues, and empower them to plan for the best possible start for their families.
According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States approximately two babies die every hour and every 12 hours, a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications – making America among the most dangerous places to give birth in the developed world. Despite these staggering statistics, a recent Harris poll funded by the March of Dimes found that American women are lacking the resources they need in order to understand the depth and complexities of pregnancy. Only 50% of women age 19 to 44 believe there is a health crisis in the United States around women trying to get pregnant and having healthy pregnancies.
“The gap between the complicated realities of pregnancy in the U.S. and women who are largely unaware of them is wide and that is unacceptable,” said Stacey D. Stewart, President and CEO of March of Dimes. “It is our core belief that every mom and baby deserves the best possible start. Through It Starts With Mom, we are filling the void by providing women with easily accessible resources that educate and empower them as they begin to navigate their pregnancy journey.”
Launched today, ItStartsWithMom.org will serve as a central hub and provide easy-to-access health and wellness information and resources, covering an array of topics related to maternal health categorized into three areas – pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and post-partum stages of the motherhood journey. According to the Harris poll, women are increasingly going online to learn about and find answers to their pregnancy-related questions. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed report a need for a new online resource for moms, moms-to-be and their families on how to stay healthy before, during and after birth.
March of Dimes and supporting partners – Clearblue, Enfa, The Honest Company, Macy’s, Inc., Ovia Health, and PARENTS and PARENTS LATINA – are committed to the health of moms and babies. Throughout the month of May and beyond, corporate partners will engage customers and mobilize their employees in the campaign to raise awareness of the resources made available through ItStartsWithMom.org.
“We face a very serious maternal health crisis in the United States. It is not acceptable that our country is one of the most dangerous developed nations to give birth in with this trend continuing to worsen over the last 25 years," said The Honest Company Founder, Jessica Alba. “Now more than ever, in the wake of COVID-19, we’re faced with even more challenges as we prepare to welcome new children into this world and take care of our little ones at home. As a company dedicated to the health and well-being of all moms and children, we’re committed to helping moms everywhere who are in need of comprehensive healthcare.”
On May 7th, The Honest Company and the March of Dimes will co-host an inaugural virtual thought leadership conference, It Starts With Mom Live, to shed light on topics that moms and moms-to-be find the most pressing today. Led by actress and The Honest Company founder, Jessica Alba, the conference will be live streamed on the March of Dimes YouTube and Facebook Channels.
“As we approach Mother's Day, we believe the time is now to make a difference and elevate this moment for moms everywhere,” said Alba. “So we’ve partnered with March of Dimes, committing time and financial support for the ‘It Starts With Mom’ Campaign. In honor of this partnership, we will be hosting a FREE virtual summit, with healthcare, nutrition and fitness experts as well as special guests and real moms sharing their stories. By working together, we can bring awareness to this health crisis and ensure moms have access to the care and resources they need. As a mom of three, advocate for social injustices that affect women and children and founder of The Honest Company, I join my company in devoting the Month of May to Mamas everywhere. Because... real talk, every day is Mother’s Day!”
March of Dimes is committed to leveling the playing field for all moms and babies, no matter their age, socio-economic background, demographics or situation. We must do more to support moms and encourage all women to discuss concerns or issues they have about their health before, during and after pregnancy directly with their doctor. For more information, please visit: ItStartsWithMom.org.