Congressman Cohen Op-Ed on Infant Mortality

Infant mortality is a heartbreaking issue. It needs to be addressed and brought to the forefront of our healthcare debate.

The United States ranks 30th in the world in infant mortalityincidents and, while there are many causes for infant mortality, thelack of access to quality, affordable and comprehensive healthcare is asignificant part of the problem. In 2005, 68.6 percent of all infantdeaths occurred to preterm infants, up from 65.6 percent in 2000.

Adequate prenatal care has a positive effect on the health of the baby, and is one of themost important interventions for ensuring the health of pregnant womenand their infants. In fact, babies born to mothers who received noprenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birthweight, and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothersreceived prenatal care, according to the Department of Health and HumanServices (HHS).

The bottom line is that the infant mortality rate of a nation is animportant indicator of that nation’s overall health. It is an issuethat sweeps from urban to rural communities across our entire country,but the statistics in my district are particularly troubling.

The infant mortality rate in Tennessee’s 9th district is the highest in theU.S. and five times the national average at 6.86 deaths per 1,000 livebirths. In 2005, one Memphis ZIP code had an infant mortality rate thatwas deadlier for babies than the countries of Vietnam, Iran and ElSalvador.

We must do more to make sure that women have the resources they need to deliver healthy babies — and that starts byimproving access to health clinics and recruiting the best andbrightest medical students to be inner city doctors. At the same time,we need a much more expanded outreach, education and research program.My legislation, the Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babiesthrough Outreach and Research Now (NEWBORN) Act, is intended to lay thefoundation for that effort.

I’m particularly pleased that H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for Americans Actthat passed the House, includes the NEWBORN Act. The proposal willcreate a national pilot program in cities with the highest rates ofinfant mortality that focuses on providing pre-natal care and communityoutreach, and educating at-risk and potential mothers about pregnancyand infant mortality. Statistics will be gathered by the HHS to helplead to a better understanding of infant mortality.

In September, the House of Representatives unanimously went on record topass a resolution calling for a greater national commitment to fightinfant mortality. I commend the HHS Office of Minority Health for itsoutreach efforts to end the racial disparities related to socioeconomicstatus that impede access to pre-natal medical care and education.

Infant mortality is preventable, but only if we make the issue a nationalpriority. The NEWBORN Act will give us the tools and resources we needto make that happen.

Cohen is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.