In this episode, Karen Schetzina, TIPQC Infant Medical Director, interviews Kelley Marshburn, Executive Director of Market Impact for the March of Dimes in Tennessee. They discuss the recently released March of Dimes Report Card, which shows Tennessee improved from a D- to a D grade in preterm birth rates, though the state still performs worse than the national average in key maternal and infant health metrics. Kelley shares the important work March of Dimes does in Tennessee, including their NICU Family Support Program in Memphis, educational initiatives, and community events like their annual walks. The conversation highlights both the progress being made and the significant work still needed to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Tennessee.
Episode Highlights
00:02:37: Kelly explains the March of Dimes Report Card as an annual publication of facts and figures that provides comprehensive data on preterm birth rates and related metrics for the US, broken down by state and county, released every November since 2008.
00:03:47: Discussion of the Report Card as a valuable, user-friendly resource with interactive website features, PDFs, and detailed data that many people use to understand maternal and infant health statistics.
00:04:14: Kelely details that the Report Card data comes primarily from the National Center for Health Statistics, covers various time periods depending on the topic, and focuses heavily on preterm birth as the leading cause of complications and death for infants and mothers.
00:06:04: Tennessee received a D grade in 2025, an improvement from D- the previous year, with the preterm birth rate improving from 11.3% to 10.9%, though the US overall received a D+ and Tennessee still performs worse than the national average.
00:07:01: Kelley emphasizes that Tennessee ranks worse than the national average on preterm birth rate, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and adequate prenatal care, despite having significant healthcare resources, particularly in Nashville.
00:08:15: Overview of March of Dimes programs in Tennessee including fundraising events, walks, educational initiatives, and the NICU Family Support Program, with particular focus on counties like Shelby County which ranks as the worst in the state for preterm birth rates.
00:09:09: Detailed explanation of the NICU Family Support Program, which places a March of Dimes social worker at Regional One Hospital in Memphis to support families, noting that while babies receive extensive care, families often have limited resources and support.
00:09:58: Kelly describes how the NICU Family Support coordinator provides resources, support, and preparation for families taking babies home, expressing hope to expand this program to Nashville hospitals.
00:10:48: Description of the annual "Meals That Matter" program every November, where March of Dimes brings warm meals, handwritten notes, care packages, and snacks to NICU families and staff, providing emotional support and connection.
00:12:17: Kelley mentions upcoming educational programs being developed with Nashville Public Library to create support group-style educational series for NICU moms who have returned home.
00:12:34: Kelly invites healthcare workers, families with healthy outcomes, and anyone interested to get involved with March of Dimes, emphasizing that the organization's 87 years of history and resources have contributed to improving pregnancy outcomes.
00:13:29: Announcement of upcoming March of Dimes walks: Nashville spring walk on April 11th and Memphis walk on May 16th, describing the walks as the biggest support group of the year where families can connect with others who share similar experiences.
Key Takeaways
Tennessee improved its preterm birth grade from D- to D in 2025, with rates decreasing from 11.3% to 10.9%, demonstrating that progress is possible through collaborative efforts, though significant work remains to reach optimal outcomes.
Despite having substantial healthcare resources, Tennessee performs worse than the national average on critical metrics including preterm birth rate, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and adequate prenatal care access.
The March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program addresses a critical gap by providing social workers to support families, recognizing that while babies receive extensive medical care, families often lack adequate resources and preparation for taking babies home.
Simple interventions like the "Meals That Matter" program can have significant emotional impact on NICU families and staff by providing warm meals, care packages, and human connection during difficult times.
Community involvement in maternal and infant health improvement is important for everyone, not just those who have experienced complications, as healthy pregnancies also result from decades of research, education, and resources provided by organizations like March of Dimes.
County-level data reveals significant disparities within states, with Shelby County ranking as Tennessee's worst for preterm birth rates, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in specific geographic areas.
Quotable Moments
"We know that that is kind of the leading cause for complications death, whether it be infant or mom. Um, and so we are really focused on preterm birth."
"You don't really rank for being a healthcare mecca, if you will, and, and having tons of healthcare in certainly Nashville, but just in Tennessee, we aren't scoring where I think we all know we should be."
"There's tons of care for the baby. There's a just limited resources and support and care for the families and the moms and people that are going to be taking these babies home."
"I've been really shocked at the impact that can have on just one person or a family that comes in that day."
"I think it's important not only that we talk about the complications and the scenarios where we've had worse outcomes, but also just healthy pregnancies and how those are improving."
"The walk, I like to call kind of the biggest support group of the year for us. It's, it's just a time where everybody comes together and is able to kind of lean on each other."
Show Notes by Barevalue
No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.
