State Unveils Plan to Reduce Infant Mortality Rate

(LANSING, Mich.) -- In a bid to reduce the number of infant deaths in Michigan, officials released the state's Infant Mortality Reduction Plan on Wednesday.

"Michigan's infant mortality rate is still higher than the national average, and alarming disparities continue to exist between various racial and ethnic groups, particularly between African-Americans and Caucasians," Department of Community Health Director Olga Dazzo said in a statement.

The department said among the state's African-American population, 14 out of every 1,000 babies die before their first birthday.

The Infant Mortality Reduction Plan includes strategies such as:

• Implementing a Regional Prenatal System.

• Promoting adoption of policies to eliminate medically unnecessary deliveries before 39 weeks gestation.

• Promoting safer infant sleeping practices to prevent suffocation.

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