Background: Infant mortality is multi-factorial and the health of an infant is often influenced by the health of the mother. The Perinatal Periods of Risk Model attempts to quantify the relative contribution of mother's health & prematurity, maternal care, newborn care, and infant health to feto-infant mortality. Methods: The model classifies fetal and infant deaths by two birth weight categories (500-1499g and 1500+g) and three categories of age at death (fetal, neonatal, and post-neonatal). The model was applied to singleton fetal deaths 28 weeks of gestation or more and all singleton infant deaths occurring in New York City from 1996 to 1998 to calculate the feto-infant mortality rate and identify problem areas. The analysis was stratified by borough and race/ethnicity. Results: The feto-infant mortality rate for the city was 8.8/1000 live births plus fetal deaths, with a low in Staten Island of 6.4/1000 and a high of 10.3/1000 in Brooklyn. Disparities by race/ethnicity also existed; the feto-infant mortality rate was 5.1/1000 live births plus fetal deaths among Asian/Pacific Islanders, 5.5/1000 for white non-Hispanics, 8.0/1000 among Hispanics, and 13.8/1000 for black non-Hispanics. Maternal health & prematurity was the largest problem area in the city overall and for most boroughs and racial/ethnic groups. Conclusion: Efforts are needed to decrease the overall feto-infant mortality rate in New York City, to reduce the racial/ethnic discrepancy in the rate, and to minimize the differences in rates across boroughs. These efforts should focus on factors related to maternal health and prematurity.
Learning Objectives: 1) To learn a method for evaluating feto-infant mortality. 2) To understand patterns of feto-infant mortality in New York City and how these patterns vary by area and race/ethnicity. 3) To learn how identifying patterns in feto-infant mortality can be used to target interventions.
Keywords: Infant Mortality, Underserved Populations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.