Maternity
Our OB/GYNs provide comprehensive services for mother and baby for childbirth—from before conception through pregnancy and labor and delivery.
Infant mortality—it’s a difficult and sensitive subject to talk about, especially with Indiana having the seventh highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the United States in 2022.
That isn’t a list where you want a high ranking, but individuals are working to better understand what leads to infant death and how to reduce the risk of future deaths.
“The leading causes of fetal and infant death in Indiana are perinatal risks—preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital anomalies and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID),” says Emily Bock, MPA, Fetal-Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Project Manager for Greene, Lawrence, Owen, Orange, Morgan, Brown and Monroe Counties. “And many factors for these areas of concern are preventable as long as the parent has the appropriate education and resources.”
There are ways to help babies reach their first birthdays, including working toward a healthy lifestyle before pregnancy.
“Maintaining a healthy weight and diet and discontinuing nicotine use are very important for your baby’s development,” says Bock. “Then, when you are pregnant, attend your prenatal care appointments and advocate for your healthcare needs and concerns.”
Then, once the baby arrives, be proactive:
A major issue is that not all Hoosiers have the support, resources and knowledge needed to take these steps.
Bock’s work with FIMR—as well as the IU Health Community Health Family Vitality Initiative and the Child Fatality Review for Greene, Lawrence, Owen, Brown and Morgan Counties—aims to close those gaps in these communities.
“We use findings from our research to take action that can prevent other infant deaths and improve the systems of care and resources for women, infants and families,” she explains.
One area of concentration is their partnership with local communities to facilitate or support educational opportunities on a variety of topics, including:
“The FIMR program also provides safe sleep resources such as pack-n-plays and safe sleep sacks to community members at no cost,” Bock says. “And we distribute Safe Sleep Diaper Bag Tags developed by the local Greene County Community Action Team.”
Another notable effort is FIMR’s partnership with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Hope Resource Center and The Villages Healthy Families program to create the first Jail Home Visiting program in Indiana. Located in Lawrence County, this program provides inmates the following services at no cost to the county or the client:
Through these actions and more, Bock and her team hope to help individuals overcome the wide array of local social, economic, public health, educational, environmental and safety issues that contribute to fetal and infant death rates.
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