Mobile, Ala. -- An Infant Mortality Conference presented by the Alabama Baby Coalition and the Mobile County Health Department was held Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Mobile. More than 130 participants took part in the day-long seminar.
MCHD's Tony Bondora, who is the ABC coordinator, led the state conference that offers a chance for health care workers and others interested in the health of children to gather and share effective strategies for saving more babies. A presentation was given on the centering pregnancy initiative, which offers expectant mothers at risk for a poor birth outcome the opportunity to join a group of women with similar due dates for monthly visits with a health care provider.
The Alabama Baby Coalition held the infant mortality workshop in conjunction with National Infant Mortality Awareness Month. In Mobile County in 2013, 54 infants died before their first birthday, at a rate of 9.7 per 1,000 births. That figure represents an improvement from 2012 when 60 Mobile County infants died before their first birthday, at a rate of 10.9 per 1,000 live births, health data shows.
Alabama’s infant mortality rate of 8.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013 is lower than the 8.9 rate recorded in 2012. In 2013, there were 58,182 live births in Alabama and the infant mortality rate represents the deaths of 500 of these infants who did not reach their first birthday.
Research indicates that babies born before 37 weeks of gestation face a higher risk of health problems. The percent of births at less than 37 weeks in Alabama has been trending down steadily to 11.8 percent of all live births in 2013. This compares to 13.4 percent in 2005. Low birth weight infants, defined as those weighing less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces) were almost 20 times more likely to die than infants of normal weight. Ten percent of births in 2013 were of low weight.
No comments:
Post a Comment