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ARLINGTON, Va., April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- March of Dimes, the leading organization fighting for the health of moms and babies, has awarded two doctors the Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Awards, the organization's signature grants for up-and-coming scientists embarking on lifelong research paths.

Dr. Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Immunology, at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Mara Murray Horwitz, MD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University and primary care clinician at Boston Medical Center, both received $150,000 grants.

Dr. Enninga's work will focus on the role of cell free (cf) fetal DNA on labor and preterm birth, which occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The placenta releases cf fetal DNA into the maternal bloodstream during pregnancy. Dr. Enninga's previous work has shown that an increase in this DNA in the mom's body toward the end of pregnancy leads to an immune response which initiates already known features of labor.

Her Basil O'Connor work aims to further examine how this happens, setting the stage for the development of future tests that could identify women at risk of delivering early based on immune cell profiles and cf fetal DNA concentrations in their blood. Further, her research on these basic mechanisms may help identify new medicines that may delay preterm birth by blocking the maternal immune response.

With 1 in 10 babies born preterm in the US, the ultimate goal of her research is to define precisely how labor happens in the body to reduce preterm births and promote more successful inductions of labor, which could result in fewer Cesarean births and stillbirths. 

Dr. Murray Horwitz, for her part, will conduct research to understand health system barriers to achieving heart health and the overall health of women who have had a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP), such as preeclampsia, which affects 1 in 25 pregnancies in the US.  Her research will identify opportunities to improve outcomes for postpartum women, because HDPs signal that a person is at increased risk for future chronic hypertension and heart disease.

She'll focus on an intervention called patient navigation, where women with prior HDPs receive help from a support person who checks in on them frequently, assesses and provides counseling on their health history and social needs, and helps identify and connect them with primary care providers.

Her Basil O'Connor work will set the foundation for a planned randomized controlled trial (RCT) of postpartum patient navigation set to take place in 2027.

The Basil O'Connor awards, named for the first March of Dimes chairman and president, are part of March of Dimes' research strategy to address the multi-faceted nature of the maternal and infant health crisis with funding that supports discovery, translational and social science research, and data collection and analysis.

"Our Basil O'Connor awards support the next generation of consequential researchers in this field, and this year's winners exemplify that mission perfectly," said Dr. Emre Seli, Chief Scientific Advisor at March of Dimes. "While Dr. Enninga's research could one day lead to diagnostics and therapeutics that could delay and reduce preterm birth, Dr. Murray Horwitz's work could lead to enhanced access to healthcare for women with cardiovascular risks. Together, both are supporting our mission to reduce preventable maternal and infant mortality and morbidity."

Find more information about the Basil O'Connor Awards here.

About March of Dimes

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs, and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Since 1938, we've built a successful legacy to support every pregnant person and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Find us on Facebook and follow us with #marchofdimes and @marchofdimes.

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SOURCE March of Dimes Inc.