Public Health Department

“…working to enhance our community’s total well-being by promoting healthy lifestyles, protecting health, and preventing disease.”

Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)

Fetal Infant Mortality Review Brochure

What is the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program?

The Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program is a community approach to improving the health of underserved women and infants through improved access to and enhanced utilization of perinatal, prenatal, and related services.

How does FIMR work?

Through individual case review, FIMR examines the social, economic, cultural, health, safety, and system issues related to infant death and determines local factors upon which perinatal and prenatal health system intervention improvement can be based.

By using data to identify factors associated with infant death, the FIMR program is able to provide recommendations for policy development and systems change that address these factors and reduce the rate of death in our most vulnerable population.

What is the value of FIMR?

Infant mortality rates are often used to compare the health and well-being of populations across and within countries: a low rate of infant mortality typically signifies a healthier population. Calhoun County’s infant mortality rate remains higher than the State of Michigan’s rate. The three-year (2004-2006) average rate was nearly three times as high for African Americans (20.7)¹ than Whites (7.3)^2.

Infant Death Rate, Calhoun County, All Races
	2003	2004	2005	2006
Calhoun³	8.2	9.8	9.6	9.5
Michigan³	8.5	7.6	7.9	7.4
U.S. ⁴	6.7	6.6	6.8	6.7


1.	1995- 2006 Michigan Resident Death Files and Michigan Resident Birth Files, Vital Records & Health Data Development Section, Michigan Department of Community Health. http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/InDxMain/BckCoTbl.asp
2.	1995- 2006 Michigan Resident Death Files and Michigan Resident Birth Files, Vital Records & Health Data Development Section, Michigan Department of Community Health. http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/InDxMain/WtCoTbl.asp
3.	2002 - 2006 Michigan Resident Birth and Death Files, Vital Records & Health Data Development Section, Michigan Department of Community Health. http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/InDxMain/Tab3.asp
4.	Preliminary Data for 2006, National Vital Statistics Reports, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_16.pdf

Community Partners

Maternal and Infant Health Commission

The Maternal and Infant Health Commission (MIHC) serves as the community action team for FIMR. The goal of the MIHC is to see all babies be born healthy and to thrive. This group works to improve the health of women of childbearing age, improve prenatal care, and reduce infant mortality.

The MIHC researches the causes and factors associated with infant deaths in Calhoun County. Given the findings, strategies for healthy births and healthy babies are:

Improve the health of women of childbearing age (preconception care)
Ensure access to prenatal care
Decrease unintended pregnancies
Prevent pre-term deliveries and low birth-weight births
Increase awareness of infant safe sleep practices
Increase awareness about the facts of breastfeeding

MIHC partners include:

AFL-CIO
Albion Health Care Alliance
Battle Creek Community Foundation
Battle Creek Health System
Battle Creek Unlimited
Bronson School of Nursing
Calhoun County Department of Human Services
Calhoun County Public Health Department
Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan
Early Learning Program
Family & Children Services
Family Health Center
Gentiva Health Services
Health Partnership
Kalamazoo YMCA
Legacy Enterprises, Inc.
Lifespan/Visiting Nurse Service

March of Dimes
Marshall Pregnancy Center
Michigan Department of Community Health
Minority Health Partnership
MSU Extension
Oaklawn Hospital
Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan
Plumbers and Pipefitters #335
Southern Michigan Doulas & Childbirth Education
Substance Abuse Council
Suburban Medical Center
Summit Pointe
The Planning Group
Volunteer Center of Battle Creek
Wyndham Wood Centre
YWCA

Infant Safe Sleep Coalition (ISSC)

Sleep-related deaths from suffocation/asphyxia, or unsafe sleep environments, are the most easily preventable infant deaths and are the focus of coalition efforts. ISSC’s goal is for every baby to sleep in a safe environment.

The Calhoun County Infant Safe Sleep Coalition instituted a campaign to educate parents, healthcare providers, and the community about safe sleep practices.

Breastfeeding Coalition

The goal of the Breastfeeding Coalition is to increase awareness about the facts around breastfeeding allowing women to breastfeed without barriers, health care providers empowerment to support breastfeeding, and access to appropriate lactation support services. This group works with Calhoun County businesses and employers on being breastfeeding friendly.

The Fetal and Infant Mortality Review program is supported by funds from the United Way of Greater Battle Creek, Battle Creek Community Foundation, and Michigan Public Health Institute.

Calhoun County
315 West Green Street
Marshall, MI 49068
Phone: (269) 781-0700
Fax: (269) 781-0140

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