Reducing Infant Mortality Requires Health Coverage For Women Throughout Childbearing Years, Editorial Says

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 24 Dec 2008 - 3:00 PST

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Baltimore's high infant mortality rate is a "crisis that gets too little attention in part because the solution is so costly: ensuring that thousands of low-income women of childbearing age have consistent access to health care that would produce better birth outcomes," a Baltimore Sun editorial states. The editorial says that the infant mortality rate in Baltimore is 11.3 deaths per 1,000 live births -- "a rate higher than in Hong Kong, the Czech Republic or Malaysia." According to the editorial, a "major factor" contributing to the city's high infant mortality rate is the "[p]oor general health among women of childbearing age." The editorial states, "Health officials already know improving birth outcomes and reducing the number of infant deaths depend not only on better care for women during and immediately after pregnancy, but also on long-term efforts to improve health throughout their lives." Despite this, "there is no comprehensive initiative targeted at that goal," according to the editorial.

"Maryland's decision this year to expand Medicaid to give more low-income residents access to health care may have a positive effect on infant mortality," the editorial says. However, although Maryland's Medicaid program currently covers women with children younger than age 21 living at home, it "leaves out an important group: single adults who may become parents in the future," the editorial states. It continues that in 2009, "officials hope to widen the coverage to include childless adults," but "[t]hose plans could be put on hold by Maryland's ballooning budget deficit." This would "leave thousands of women at risk of becoming statistics in the infant mortality crisis," the editorial says, adding, "The real cost of leaving things as they are will be counted in lives not saved" (Baltimore Sun, 12/22).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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