1. Uniting to Reduce Infant Mortality
The Silent Epidemic
Uniting to Reduce Infant Mortality

2. Infant Mortality in Virginia

3. “Perhaps the most glaring health failure is our infant mortality rate
-Governor Timothy M. Kaine

4. Significance of Infant Mortality World View

5. Infant Mortality: The Problem World Rank

6. Infant Mortality: The Problem World Rank

7. Infant Mortality: The Problem – Virginia
Only ranks within the top 30 states for protecting the lives of infants
Infant mortality rate ranked 18th highest in the nation by the CDC in 2006
Infant mortality rate twice as high for African-Americans

8. Infant Mortality: Comparative Deaths

9. Infant Mortality: Top Causes 2007
1. Prematurity
2. Birth defects
3. SIDS
4. Complications of pregnancy
5-7. Miscellaneous conditions
8. Accidents
9. Respiratory distress

10. Infant Deaths: By Age 2007

11. Infant Mortality: 5 Year Death Rates by Race/Ethnicity

12. Infant Mortality: Parental Education by Race/Ethnicity

13. Infant Mortality: By Geography
Infant Deaths – VA residents by number of live births

14. Just the Tip of the Iceberg
839 Deaths
Thousands of Children, Families and Communities

15. Prematurity: The Rising Trend

16. Prematurity and Cesarean Births

17. Prematurity and Late Preterm Births
35 Weeks
39 Weeks

18. Prematurity and SIDS
A premature infant less than 37 weeks sleeping prone is 85 times more likely to die of SIDS
A premature infant lying on its side is 40 times more likely to die of SIDS

19. Prematurity: SIDS Rate and Sleep Position
Rates of SIDS Deaths
Babies Sleeping on their Backs

20. Changing Attitudes Engage Healthcare Providers
Pregnant women and their families
Community Groups
Health Insurers

21. Interventions that May Reduce Prematurity/Infant Deaths
Accessible prenatal care
Promote breastfeeding
Education about preterm labor signs and symptoms
Decrease smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke

22. Interventions That May Reduce Prematurity/Infant Deaths
Assess for substance use and intervene
Assess for domestic violence and intervene
Reduce major stress levels
Refer to community services

23. Breastfeeding: The Benefits
Lower rates of SIDS
Fewer ear infections
Fewer asthma/allergy cases
Less obesity
Less diabetes
Fewer childhood leukemia cases
Fewer infections in premature babies

24. Promote Breastfeeding
Educate mothers before birth
Provide support from family, friends, healthcare workers, employers, society
Provide safe places to nurse and pump

25. Prematurity and Smoking
Exposure to smoking is associated with
20% of all low birth weight babies
8% of preterm births
SIDS

26. Prematurity: Smoking and Pregnancy
Successful treatment of tobacco dependence
20% reduction in low-birth-weight babies
17% decrease in preterm births

27. Infant Mortality: Causes
Prematurity
Birth Defects
SIDS

28. Infant Mortality: Solutions
Good prenatal nutrition
Maternal health behaviors/effects
Planned pregnancy with early, quality prenatal care
Prevention of preterm & low birth weight babies

29. Infant Mortality: Solutions
Infant sleep position and environment
Family/caretaker violence & safe home
Home visiting nurses

30. “Saving Babies” Initiative
Save babies from dying in their first year of life
Focus on results
Targeting 10 localities with the highest number of infant deaths
Collaborating with other stakeholders

31. “Saving Babies” Outcomes
Determining women at high risk
Increasing awareness of signs/symptoms of premature labor
Promoting safe sleep education

32. “Saving Babies” Outcomes
Improving coordination/ efforts of private and public providers
Enhancing outcomes through folic acid promotion, insurance coverage and transportation to prenatal care

33. Infant Mortality Reduction: Raise Awareness
Communicate the facts
Provide intervention tips
Support the Commissioner’s Infant Mortality Workgroup

34. Infant Mortality Reduction: Spread the Word
Control Weight
Don’t Smoke
Don’t Drink
Take Vitamins with Folic Acid
Visit Your Dentist

35. Infant Mortality Reduction: Practice Safe Sleep Habits
Baby should…
Sleep alone
Sleep on his/her back
Sleep in a crib without soft toys, bumper pads or quilts

36. Uniting to Reduce Infant Mortality
The Silent Epidemic
Uniting to Reduce Infant Mortality