|
“Addressing Infant Mortality in Ohio”
By U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown
Guest Column
According to humanitarian organization Save the Children,
the United States has the highest first-day death rate for
infants among industrialized countries – more than 11,000
babies die within 24 hours of their birth each year. It’s
unthinkable. And each year in the U.S., there are more than
4,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths. What’s worse – Ohio
is near the bottom compared with other states, ranking 48th
in the nation for infant mortality and 50th for
infant mortality among African Americans. In 2012, 1,047
babies died in Ohio before their first birthday. This is
unacceptable.
There are also more than 25,000 stillbirths in the United
States every year. Some of these tragic deaths can be
attributed to birth defects, umbilical cord problems,
infections, or a chronic medical condition suffered by the
mother. But, there is no known cause for as many as half of
all stillbirths. Families enduring these heartbreaking
losses are left in the dark.
This week, I visited Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical
Center, the John R. Maloney Family Health and Wellness
Center in Columbus, and Dayton Children’s Hospital to
announce a plan to address infant mortality. I introduced
the Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and
Awareness Act because no parent should have to grieve
the loss of a child with no answers and no help. This
legislation would enhance and standardize a national
reporting system to better track stillbirths and sudden
unexpected infant and child deaths, allowing us to better
identify risk factors to prevent them in the future.
Enhanced and coordinated tracking will help us gain a better
understanding of the reason for these heartbreaking deaths
and ensure that all children in Ohio and across the country
have every opportunity to lead healthy and full lives. By
working together on all levels – local, state, and federal –
to track these incidents and identify their causes, we can
prevent many stillbirths and sudden unexpected infant and
child deaths and help parents get the answers they deserve.
|
