Fort Worth Dallas Birthing Project

The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project is a project which connects volunteers, called "SisterFriends", with high-risk, pregnant teenagers in North Texas, with the aim of reducing the area's infant mortality rate.cite news
last = Jarvis
first = Jan
coauthors =
title = Healthier mothers, healthier babies
work = Fort Worth Star-Telegram
pages = B1
language = English
publisher = Star-Telegram Operating, Ltd.
date = 2007-02-23
url = http://www.birthingprojectusa.com/FW_Star_Telegram_2_23_07%5B1%5D.doc
accessdate = 2008-03-23] Volunteers provide emotional and practical support during preganancy and for one year after birth. [cite news
last = Jackson
first = Rachael
coauthors =
title = Scanning the Non-profit Community
work = Critical Years: Childhood Wellbeing in Dallas County
pages = 124
language = English
publisher = The J McDonald Williams Institute
date =
url = http://thewilliamsinstitute.org/Portals/10/Children/ChildhoodWellbeing.Final.pdf#page=107
accessdate = ] Since the program began in 1997, it has helped more than 140 mothers, mainly in the African-American and Hispanic communities of Tarrant County, Texas, where the infant mortality rate is higher than the state and national averages.

The project also runs the Aintie-Tia Program which trains volunteers to support African-American women between 18 and 35 during and after pregnancy with pre- and post-natal education and assistance during labor. [cite paper
first =
last =
author = Carderelli, Kathryn
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Improving perinatal outcomes in African American women: The Aintie Tia Program
version =
publisher = American Public Health Association
date = 2007
url = http://apha.confex.com/apha/135am/techprogram/paper_159122.htm
format =
accessdate = ] Funding is provided by the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth and the Amon G. Carter Foundation. [cite news
last = Jarvis
first = Jan
coauthors =
title = Words of Experience Fight Mortality
work = Fort Worth Star Telegram
pages =
language = English
publisher = Fort Worth Star Telegram
date = 2007-12-27
url = http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1196019/words_of_experience_fight_mortality/index.html
accessdate = 2008-03-23]

In 2008, the National Institutes of Health funded a study into the effects of the program on birth outcomes. [cite news
last = Bassett
first = Elizabeth
coauthors =
title = Study looks at pregnancy issues
work = Fort Worth Business Press
pages =
language = English
publisher = The Fort Worth Business Press
date = 2008-01-21
url = http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=6947
accessdate = ]

References

External links

* [http://www.fwdbirthingproject.org Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project]
* [http://www.birthingprojectusa.com/home.htm Birthing Projrect USA]