The March of Dimes will host a health forum for expectant mothers.
The Clergy United for Community Empowerment, in collaboration with the March of Dimes, is hosting a health forum for expectant mothers March 2 at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 172-17 Linden Blvd. in St. Albans.
The event, which will offer free information and lunch, will be about how women of color can work toward avoiding birth defects, premature births and infant mortality, the two organizations said.
The event will also help future moms gain knowledge about how to get their partners and families to help support the pregnancy process.
The forum will include a free health screening and a free HIV test with swabs (no needles) where mothers can get on-the-spot results.
Partners and family members are encouraged to attend the event, which will go over topics about what causes infants to not fully develop at birth, how smoking or second-hand smoking is bad for a pregnancy and what expectant moms should eat during a pregnancy.
The forum will also tackle how to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Chronic Disease Management (obesity or diabetes).
Parents can email lridardson@cucegroup.org and call (718) 464-0010 or (718) 297-0720 to sign up.