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Infant Mortality Review Begins
The Lugar Center for Rural Health facilitated the first Wabash Valley Fetal Infant Mortality Review in August of 2020. Over the past decade, more than 150 babies have died in Indiana’s Central Southwestern Region, which includes Clay, Greene, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo counties. In continuation of a string of efforts spearheaded by the Lugar Center for Rural health, the West Central Indiana Healthy Start (WCIHS) program, in collaboration with Regional Hospital, Union Hospital, Vigo County Department of Child Services, and the Vigo County Department of Health implemented a dynamic program called Fetal and Infant Mortality Review, or FIMR. Every year in the Wabash Valley, too many babies are born who do not survive until their first birthday. Additionally, several pregnancies end in stillbirth, a baby born without signs of life. The death of an infant is a community problem . . . and is too multidimensional for responsibility to rest in any one place.
Overview · Community-based, evidence-based, and action-oriented process with a multi-disciplinary team · Reviews and analyzes de-identified fetal and infant deaths in the community · Data are obtained through an interview with the mother/family, medical records, WIC, social service agencies, and birth/death certificates
Scope · Focus on improving health resources and access for women, infants, and families · Target Population: Fetal & Infant (birth-1 year) Deaths · To understand how social, economic, health, educational, environmental and safety issues result in an infant death · Participate in implementation of community-based interventions and policies and access the progress of interventions.
More information about FIMR can be found on the Indiana State Department of Health webpage: https://www.in.gov/isdh/28167.htm
The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention:https://www.ncfrp.org
