According to a spokeswoman for the city of Detroit, the new initiative will give “Detroit residents who are pregnant, and anyone who takes care of an infant up to one year of age will receive free transportation to and from prenatal and postpartum doctor visits, plus one year of pediatric appointment for the baby.”

Last November, the March of Dimes awarded the state of Michigan a “D+” for its efforts to safeguard the health of pregnant women and babies.

Across Metro Detroit, the March of Dimes is doing its part to help women get the prenatal care they need, but also to help families when their child has to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit.

You can enjoy some delicious cuisine from local signature chefs and sip on wine while supporting a great cause. It’s all part of March of Dimes’ Signature Chefs Feeding Motherhood event on Tuesday, Sep. 20th.

DETROIT The March of Dimes report card for this year shows that premature birth rates in the United States have increased for the fourth year in a row. The report card ranks states by the number of babies born early. The country received a "C" rating overall, while only Oregon received an A. Several states in the south failed. The report shows that theres disproportions between geographic location and race. For instance, African American women are 50 percent more likely to deliver a baby prematurely.