Students Involved in Infant Death Prevention

CHANGING THE FORECAST!
Scattered Showers - Death Rate of African-American Infants is 2 times that of White infants)

High School Student Contest!

Promote Graduation - not Graveside services!
Showcase your creativity with poetry, a poster design, rap, or video message encouraging graduation and young women’s health and fitness.

Winners in each category
1st Place - $1,000 Scholarship & School Recognition
2nd Place - $750 Scholarship & School Recognition
3rd Place - $500 Scholarship & School Recognition

All four categories open to students in grades 9 - 12 in Hamilton County Schools.
- Entries due MARCH 19, 2010 -

Students need teacher/counselor/principal support and should be allowed to attend at least one day of the Changing the Forecast - Infant Mortality Awareness & Reduction Summit being held on
April 20, 2010 @ Sharonville Community Center and
April 21, 2010 @ Xavier University - CINTAS Center

Last year - in our community - over 100 babies died before their first birthday!

Cincinnati/Hamilton County - highest infant death rate of any urban area in Ohio

The highest RATE of infant death per 1,000 live births born to an age category is among 15-17 year olds.

Babies born too early and too small have problems at birth and later in life.

Healthy mothers give their babies a better chance at life!

Managing weight, blood pressure, diabetes and sexually transmitted disease (STD)
is critical for better birth outcomes.

Get the facts at http://www.hamiltoncountyhealth.org/en/resource_library/reports.html.

Contact: Cynthia Smith, Director - Women & Infant Vitality Network - 250 Wm H. Taft Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 - (513) 946-7901 or cynthia.smith@hamilton-co.org

All Things Work Together

As we end 2009 and look toward 2010 I have too many Blessings to count! My goals for 2010 include collaboratively making a significant impact on the health and longevity of babies being born in Cincinnati/Hamilton County. African American women and their babies are at the highest risk of poor birth outcomes (being born too small and/or too soon.) Many initiatives are underway to improve our health care system. My plan is to work with my sisters as well, to make sure they know that the future is in their wombs. There are things we can do to improve our own outcomes. Starting with me - I'm going to pay more attention to the types of foods I eat (and how much!), exercise more, and make sure I cooperate with my physician to manage any conditions I have such as hypertension, diabetes, etc. I encourage all who are reading this to do the same. Think about your "life plan". If it includes becoming a parent - get prepared. If it doesn't include becoming a parent - get prepared. Advocate for your health and the health of your children. Protect all that is precious. Take time to smell the roses... Peace for the New Year - 2010!

Infant Mortality Reduction Initiatives

Action Team (PCAT) - 30 Healthcare, Social Service, Faith-based and Community organization representatives meet monthly (3rd Thursday 2pm - 4pm) to develop ways to improve the healthcare system. Better access, patient advocacy, improved communication, more customer friendly service are issues addressed. All citizens are welcome to participate, especially those concerned with women's health issues and helping young moms.

Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committee (FIMR) - Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers and public health staff monthly review the medical and social issues surrounding the death of infants less than 1 year old. Most deaths occur before the baby is 1 month old. Many times women don't have the support systems they need during pregnancy. Untreated chronic illnesses, i.e., diabetes, hypertension play a role in babies being born too early and too small. FIMR makes recommendations to the Action Team.

Public Awareness - PACE - Community volunteers "Spreading the Word" that infant deaths are happening and they can be prevented! Schools (Bond Hill Academy), churches (Corinthian Baptist and Manifest Destiny), vocational schools (Job Corps) are some of the places where presentations have been made.

Quality Improvement - Hospitals and the Cinti Health Dept - taking on projects to improve their operations. Better service in a timely manner makes a positive impact on community health.

For more information or to get involved in any of these initiatives, email me at cynthia.smith@hamilton-co.org or call me at (513) 946-7901.

Infant Deaths in Cincinnati - Hamilton County, Ohio

This is my first Blog. May 1, 2009 I began working as the Director of the Office of Maternal & Infant Health and Infant Mortality Reduction which does business as Women & Infant Vitality Network. Next month will mark the 9th month of this operation to save babies in Hamilton County from dying. If this were a pregnancy, 40 weeks would be the goal. Our goal is to reduce our infant death rate to below the national average. We want to have healthy babies that reach their full potential. So this is about the time in a woman's life before she ever becomes pregnant. That is when she has a chance to prepare her body for the process and purpose of bringing forth a brand new life! A life that she will love and cherish forever. That's what we all want, for ourselves and for all mothers. But, unfortunately, that is not what we have.

In Hamilton County, on average in 2007 -2008, one baby died every three days! There have been 79 infant deaths this year- just between January - September 2009!

So what are we doing about it? What are you doing about it? Did you even know this was a problem? Next Blog I'll detail some of the initiatives in place to reduce infant deaths...