| Show DY BY VIRGINIA APGAR MD M.D. I Director Director Division o of Congenital Malformations The National National March Foundation of 01 Dimes Dimel 1 The phase of the March of Dimes attack on birth defects defects de de- de which promises the most exciting results in eventual prevention of these conditions is the research program supported by 35 grants at 29 universities colleges or hospitals hospitals hos hos- located locate in 17 states and Canada You have a stake in this this' program for the dimes and I dollars ollars you contributed over the years have helped support support sup sup- port this quest I Perhaps the briefest and most accurate description of the scope of these various projects is that that dedicated men and worn worn- en in laboratories and hospitals all over the country are at attempting attempting at at- tempting each in his own way to find some clue which will in time help provide the answers answers an an- swen to these questions e Why are children born with a birth defect each year in this country e Why does something go wrong when these tiny embryos embryos embryos em em- are being formed 7 e Can more of these children i i be helped with present medical med med- ical leal knowledge e What more must we know to prevent this from hap hap- t I horn pening ening to babies not yet yetI I f born Id I'd like to describe six of these important projects which differ vastly from each other but they have this in common All Ali are part of a nationwide search which has as its ultimate ultimate ultimate ulti ulti- ulti- ulti mate aim the prevention of birth defects in human beings At present these scientists might be working with test tubes or with animals but each bit of knowledge sheds light on the problem of birth defects In humans At the University of California California Cali Call fornia in San Francisco Dr C. C Willet Asling AsUng and his his colleagues colleagues colleagues col col- col- col leagues are studying birth defects defects defects de de- de- de caused by temporary deficiencies of vitamins and minerals at crucial stages during during during dur dur- ing pregnancy They are experimenting experimenting experimenting ex ex- ex- ex with rats trying to learn why certain embryonic tissues are affected by dietary lack This work may throw light on the mechanism of some birth defects in man At the University of Colorado in Denver Dr Theodore T. T Puck and his group are study- study trig inK the ways human cells operate operate oper oper- ate and end what those cells need as food This work is vitally t Important bet be be- because cause every h human hu u- u 1 t mane man being being is the result of 01 the union of two cells the cells the egg cell from his mother and the sperm cell from his father This u union ion forms forms one one cell which In inDr turn divides to Dr Apgar become different different differ differ- ent cells with many different functions There are special kinds of cells for bone for example example ex ex- ample and for the retina of the eye and for the lungs and skin Usually Usually this process of differentiation differentiation differ differ- works well and a a. a healthy baby results but ut sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times something goes wrong and the infant has one or more birth defects If scientists knew more about the normal growth from single cell to baby they would be closer to understanding understand understand- ing how this process can break breakdown breakdown breakdown down and perhaps be closer to preventing birth defects At Yale University in New NewHaven NewHaven NewHaven Haven Conn Dr Dorothy M. M Is I's is studying the spread of the rubella virus seeking means of detecting its presence in the body and in general laying the groundwork for the development of a vaccine vaccine vaccine vac vac- cine against this virus Rubella German measles is measles Is usually only a minor annoyance to children but it is a potential tragedy to women during the first three tree months of pre pre preg nancy Research shows that Ifa if ifa ifa a woman gets this disease early in pregnancy her baby has a one-in-four one chance 0 of being born with one or more serious birth defects At the University of Miami in Coral Gables Fla Dr Casimer Casimer Casi- Casi mer T T. Grabowski is conducting conduct ing tests on the effects of oxygen deficiency and other metabolic disturbances in pro- pro |
