Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is observed in October. It serves as a poignant reminder of the heartache many families face due to pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and the death of an infant before their first birthday. Everyone deserves to experience a healthy pregnancy and birth and care for a healthy baby. Unfortunately, not all birthing people have this experience.
This month, we wanted to raise awareness about Illinois’s infant mortality rate (IMR).
Data shows that there are racial and ethnic disparities regarding the infant mortality rate in Illinois and at the national level. In 2021, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Illinois was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, which was slightly higher than the national rate of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
According to the recent Fetal and Mortality Report published by the Illinois Department of Public Health in 2021, there were a total of 132,228 live births and 743 infant deaths recorded in Illinois. Their data shows that Black infants have the highest IMR across all leading causes of infant death.
In Illinois, the infant mortality rate among infants born to non-Hispanic Black women is nearly three times that of infants born to white women. The report mentions that the leading causes of infant death in Illinois are the effects of “prematurity and fetal malnutrition, birth defects, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and pregnancy/ delivery complications. These conditions account for almost 70% of infant deaths.” These statistics are significant because they show the disparities in infant death and the effects these health disparities have on Black communities and overall maternal and infant care.
EverThrive IL creates community-centered education tools and resources and works with community partners to increase positive birth outcomes. In partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, our Birth Equity team manages and convenes 3 Community Alignment Boards for Family Connects Chicago, a universal postpartum nurse home visiting program for individuals who have recently given birth. This is one example of how we work to provide resources to vulnerable communities to increase positive health outcomes. Ultimately, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month serves to remind us of the importance of supporting birthing people in Illinois during times of loss and grief.
We’ve compiled a list of EverThrive IL and community partner resources to support birthing people and ensure they have the information they need to stay healthy before, during, and after their baby is born.
We invite social service/health providers and community organizations to share these resources with their communities.
Digital Resources for Birthing People
The Gathering Digital Resource
Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health (CCMH)
Healthy Choices, Healthy Futures
Mental Health Resources for Grieving Parents and Families
Never Forgotten: Miscarriage & Infant Loss Support Group
EverThrive IL Partnerships
Illinois Department of Public Health
Chicago Department of Public Health
Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative