Reducing Infant Mortality. KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief

Despite the wide range of expertise that has been brought to bear on reducing infant mortality across the nation, the first year of life remains a time of considerable risk for many babies. Although the U.S. spends more on health care than any other country, its infant mortality rate remains higher than that of most other industrialized nations. Because prevention efforts have not achieved the hoped-for results, researchers and policymakers have begun to shift from a narrow focus on prenatal and infant care to a broader emphasis on women's health. A recent report from Trust for America's Health asserts that widespread chronic disease epidemics such as obesity and diabetes are taking a toll on America's infants, especially those who are African American, urban, and poor (Levi, Cimons & Johnson, 2008). Narrow strategies cannot produce the advances that are needed to protect the youngest and most vulnerable citizens. This "KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief" describes four strategies that are essential to any plan aimed at further reducing the infant mortality rate: (1) Taking a Lifespan Approach to Maternal and Infant Health; (2) Ensuring Timely Prenatal Care for All Women; (3) Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Infant Mortality; and (4) Sustaining Efforts to Prevent Infant Mortality After the First Month of Life. (Contains 11 online resources.)