Res. No. 1227

Resolution recognizing September as Infant Mortality Month in New York City

By Council Members Cumbo, Barron, Palma, Lander, Greenfield and Chin

                     Whereas, Infant mortality in the United States is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday; and

Whereas, According to the CDC, 23,000 infants died in the United States in 2014; and

Whereas, The infant mortality rate (IMR) originated in the early 20^th century as way to measure and account for the health of the nation and is now the universal statistical assessment for reporting IMR; and

Whereas, The IMR is the estimated number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births and is used to determine the health of a nation, as factors which affect the health of the entire population can affect the health of infants; and

Whereas, According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH), the US ranks 27^th with the highest IMR among industrialized countries; and

Whereas, While the IMR in 2014 was 6 per 1,000 live births, and has steadily declined in recent years there remains a disparity when comparing the IMR of certain ethnic populations; and

Whereas, The IMR in 2014 for Non-Hispanic Black children was 11.01 per 1,000 live births,  as compared to Non-Hispanic White infants whose IMR was 5.02 per 1,000 live births, and the IMR for Asian Pacific Islander was 3.76 per 1,000 live births; and

Whereas, The New York Women’s Foundation (Women’s Foundation) released a report in 2013 which found, that in New York City the IMR for Black women is 8.6 per 1,000 live births, almost triple the rate of White women at 2.8 per 1,000 live births; and

Whereas, According to the Women’s Foundation report, in New York City more than 20,000 young women between the ages of 15-19 become pregnant each year; and

Whereas, According to the Women’s Foundation report, New York City teens who become pregnant and give birth are more likely to live in high poverty neighborhoods and pregnancies are likely to be unintended; and

Whereas, Recognizing September as Infant Mortality Month provides opportunities to educate the public about prenatal health and postnatal care; and

Whereas, There are several other factors that contribute to infant mortality, and they include birth defects, pregnancy complications for the mother, sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidents or unintentional injuries; and

Whereas, According to the CDC, the United States has a high number of preterm deaths, which contribute to higher rates of infant mortality; and

Whereas, According to the CDC, preterm births are defined when a mother gives birth before 37 weeks of development and the baby has a low birth weight, usually below 5 pounds; and

Whereas, Preterm births are the result of a number of factors, including the mother’s health before pregnancy and during pregnancy; and

Whereas, The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes guidelines for postnatal care for mothers and newborns, the most recent guidelines were released in 2013; and

Whereas, The 2013 guidelines recommend that new mothers and infants should remain in a hospital for a minimum of 24 hours, and if a birth occurs outside a hospital, a medical examination should take place as soon as possible after the birth; and

                     Whereas, Postnatal care should take place in a hospital to ensure the health of the mother and infant and to ensure that the new born is able to breast feed; and

Whereas, The CDC recognizes important steps both men and women can take prior to having a child in order to ensure the baby is as healthy as possible; and

Whereas, Preconception health, which is the health of women and men during the years they can have a child, can impact the health of the infant; and

Whereas, The New York City Council began funding the Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative, which provides funding to community groups who work towards the goal of reducing the IMR in New York City; and

Whereas, In 2006, the United States Congress recognized September as National Infant Mortality Awareness Month; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes September as Infant Mortality Month in New York City

ER

9/12/16

LS 8916