Prenatal Ed Update
Vol. 3 #8 August 15, 1999


Infant Mortality Rate

*Eliminate disparities in infant mortality rates.
That is the challenge President Clinton set for the US in February 1998. IMR-Infant Mortality Rate- is a worldwide indicator of health status and an important measure of a nation’s health.
*The Prenatal Care Solution
In the last 15 years, health policy and dollars have been directed to
increasing prenatal care utilization, especially among black women.
Therefore, the proportion of women obtaining care in the first trimester has steadily increased to an all time high of 71% for black and Hispanic women and 84% for whites (1996).
For more information go to http://www.prenataled.com/newsv3n8.htm

Pay $100s, Save 10s of $1000s
*250 grams in birth weight is worth $16,000
*Average First Year Medical Expenses For VLBW Survivors
*Very Low Birth Weight:<1500 grams or 3.3 pounds
*If this week is an average week in the US, 5524 babies will be born low birth weight - they will weigh less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams). Their chance of dying in their first four weeks is 40 times that of a normal weight baby.
For more information go to http://www.prenataled.com/newsv3n8.htm



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Lisa Nixon
Beginnings
206-441-7046
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