What is Protect Our Children NOW !?
Protect Our Children NOW! is a community outreach project to reduce the incidence of preterm births and many other health problems of pregnancy. This can be done quickly, easily, and safely by attending to solving the vitamin D deficiency epidemic through the engagement of pregnant women in a value changing project of Good Health vs ‘Treating Illness.’
What’s the Problem?
- The US premature birthrate has risen 36% over the last 25 years. Over half a million preterm births happen in the US each year; it is the number one killer of newborns and the second leading cause of death in children under 5
- Vitamin D could prevent 50% of preterm births, and cut the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and prenatal infections in HALF
- More than 80% of pregnant women are deficient in vitamin D (even those taking prenatal vitamins), and these women are five times more likely to give birth to a deficient baby than mothers with adequate levels
- Nearly every baby born to a mother getting only the recommended daily dose of vitamin D (600 IU/day) is born deficient
A Simple Solution
- Routine screening and supplementation are simple and necessary steps to preventing vitamin D deficiency, solving this epidemic, and protecting our children NOW and in future generations
GrassrootsHealth is launching the Protect our Children NOW! project nation-wide. As the leader of the world’s largest vitamin D outreach project (D*action), we are bringing our scientific, educational, and program resources to each community to provide a proven approach to public health promotion, helping the community SHINE with the results of vitamin D health for pregnant women and their children.
How do we solve it?
- Education and Awareness Building
Outreach sessions (videos, webinars, onsite sessions) will be held for participants on the many conditions of pregnancy and childhood associated with vitamin D deficiency and the potential benefits based on current research.
Screening vitamin D levels is key to appropriate intake recommendations and to matching the levels with what is known about pregnancy and early childhood conditions. All pregnant women participating in this program will be tested at approximately 12-17 weeks of pregnancy, 24 weeks, and 36 weeks. Newborn infants may also be screened.
- Health Results for Action
Health outcomes will be tracked in order to fully demonstrate the results and to monitor for any unusual conditions. The tracking is critical not only to the health of the individual but to the scientific validity of the results for the community.The results of the program will be fully reported in the scientific literature and to the community to aid in the further reduction of the vitamin D deficiency and the realization of benefits.
Take action now!