Infant mortality is a measure of the health of a community. Local and national organizations are taking an interest in our high infant mortality rate, and what is being done to improve outcomes so that all babies can reach a happy and healthy first birthday.
We’re keeping an eye on news updates related to infant mortality in St. Louis and across the country.
- St. Louis Public Radio interviewed Kendra Copanas, executive director of Generate Health, on their 10-year St. Louis Fetal-Infant Mortality review. The report found the infant mortality rate in the St. Louis region remained high compared to the average for the U.S. and Missouri from 2005-2014. Copanas discussed how Generate Health, FLOURISH St. Louis’ backbone organization, is working to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants in the region. Read the full report here.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a brief of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data on infant mortality in the United States. NCHS found that infant mortality in the U.S. declined by 15 percent between 2005 and 2014. Additionally, deaths from SIDS declined by 29 percent, the largest drop among the top five causes of infant death in the U.S. But while the numbers are starting to improve, we still have a long way to go to ensure all our babies make it to their first birthday. Read more about the NCHS data here.
- Despite the significant drop, SIDS remains a leading cause of infant mortality. In St. Louis, doctors and nurses at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Hospital are teaching parents about the best practices for safe sleeping based on the America Association of Pediatrics’ new safe sleep recommendations. Watch the video here.
- The Nation took a hard look at the challenges black babies and their parents face. As one black mother explained, it didn’t matter that she is an Ivy League-trained journalist who researches reproductive health – she was still less likely to receive the same level and quality of care than a less-educated white woman. Another article acknowledged the statistics on racial disparities in infant mortality. It showed that the tragically high infant mortality rate is felt primarily in the black community, where babies are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday than white babies.
This disparity is even greater in St. Louis, with black babies three times more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies. Many people point to the income gap between the city’s white and black residents – which has grown by 40 percent since 1967. However, the data shows that even black mothers who make $250,000 or more per year are more than twice as likely to lose their child than poor white mothers.
- One of FLOURISH’s priority areas is getting moms the prenatal care they need for a healthy pregnancy. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and the health commissioner of Baltimore, Maryland, explored the challenges facing women when accessing prenatal care. She outlined the cost of care, from the first prenatal visit through delivery, for someone who doesn’t have health insurance. In all, the costs could range from $40,000 to well over $60,000. Read more here.
Follow us on Twitter @FlourishtStLouis or on Facebook at Flourish St. Louis for the latest information and news about the St. Louis region’s progress towards ensuring every baby reaches a happy and healthy first birthday.