New statistics show that Ohio is just about the deadliest state for infants, ranking 48th for infant deaths, according to The Columbus Dispatch. In 2012, 1,045 babies died before their first birthday, according to state officials. This has led the push for new state bills that would provide $25 million for community-based services such as food or transportation, require more detailed documentation of sudden infant deaths, create an infant-mortality commission, and require parents to be given safe-sleep educational materials before leaving the hospital. Gov. John Kasich has already funded several programs for pregnant women, including hormone treatment for those at risk of early delivery, smoking cessation classes and promotion of the use of multivitamins and folic-acid supplements. "Our infant health is truly a reflection of the health of our state in total," said Columbus Democrat Charleta B. Tavares, co-sponsor of the bills along with Springboro Republican Shannon Jones. "So if we can't ensure that our babies live past one year of age, we cannot guarantee any other population in the state of Ohio that they are going to have a healthy life." Read the full details here: Ohio lawmakers hope bills save babies It isn't clear why Ohio has such a problem with infant deaths. Hopefully, these bills can lead to answers and a decrease in infant mortality. If you believe your child suffered a birth injury due to medical negligence, please call to investigate your matter fully. Crandall & Pera Law is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.
Staggering Infant Mortality Rate Sparks Change in Ohio