NC DHHS Releases 2014 Infant Mortality Rate | Eastern North Carolina Now

    RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health announced North Carolina's Infant Mortality Rate for 2014 was 7.1 per 1,000 live births. This figure represents a slight increase from the lowest rates recorded; a rate of 7.0 per 1,000 live births for 2010 and 2013.

    "The 2014 statistics are consistent with previous years, and we are being very purposeful about collaborating with providers and other partners to address the different factors that affect infant mortality," said Deputy Secretary for health services of DHHS, Randall Williams, M.D., and Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

    Williams noted that the General Assembly's most recent budget contains several features that focus on improving birth outcomes, improving the health of children from birth to age five and further reducing infant mortality.

    "New state funds will be allocated through a competitive grant process for local health departments to address these issues."

    DHHS' Division of Public Health and its partners support a number of initiatives to improve women's health, including:

    Training health care providers, students and teachers across the state to disseminate information about the link between women and infants' health in their localities.

    Supporting access to preconception care and promoting policies that support the health of women of childbearing age through the N.C. Preconception Health Coalition. The strategic plan is located at: http://whb.ncpublichealth.com.

    Utilizing marketing and social media, in collaboration with the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, to link women to health resources in the childbearing years.

    Supporting a Pregnancy Medical Home initiative that engages obstetrical providers as pregnancy medical homes and local health departments as providers of pregnancy care management services in collaboration with DHHS' Division of Medical Assistance and Community Care of North Carolina.

    For complete 2014 infant mortality data, including a county-specific listing, please visit www.schs.state.nc.us/data/vital/ims/2014

• NC Department of Health and Human Services
• 2001 Mail Service Center
• Raleigh, NC 27699-2001
• news@dhhs.nc.gov •(919) 855-4840