Aziz Khalil, OMS-II; Katherine Niel, OMS-II; Katherine Oakley,OMS-II; and Jonathan Roberts, OMS-II

Infant mortality is a serious problem that affects Alabama more significantly than the rest of the United States as a whole. It is defined as the death of an infant prior to their first birthday7. Alabama ranks third highest in the nation with a rate of 7.9 infant  deaths/1,000 live births which is significantly higher than the national average of 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births7,8. This rate has increased yearly8.

Among the most common causes of infant death are preterm birth, low birth weight, and sudden unexpected infant death (SUID)7. Maternal age, poverty, marital status, pre-pregnancy and perinatal weight2,3,4,11 all contribute to this pattern, as does decreased public funding7. The resulting increase in infant mortality then leads to increased healthcare costs and inflicts an intense emotional toll on affected families5,6,12.