Infant Mortality Statistics and Research
Key Statistics: Where We are and Where We Want to Go
2018
5 Year Goal
Maryland
2018
Infant Mortality Rate
9.2
Per 1,000 live births
School Readiness
Percent Ready for Kindergarten, Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
Child Abuse and Neglect
Rate of Substantiated Abuse/Neglect Reports per 1,000 population
39%
10.6
7.4
6.1
15% Decrease
43%
47%
10% Increase
10.1
4.9
5% Decrease
Where We Started
We still have work to do, but we are optimistic because our approach works. When BHB was launched in 2009, infant mortality was on an upward trend. Since our launch, infant mortality has been on a downward trend. Since 2009, the infant mortality rate in Baltimore City has declined by 32%.
BHB Launched
15% increase from 2000 to 2009
32% decrease from 2009 to 2018
Other Promising Results
We have also made a lot of progress is narrowing birth disparities. To learn more about why this is important, visit our section on our anti-racist approach.
Data Sources
Fetal-Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)
FIMR is a community process that works to improve service systems and community resources for women, infants, and families in Baltimore City. The FIMR process helps us identify factors leading to poor birth outcomes and monitor the progress of our interventions to improve systems and services.
Every month, the FIMR Case Review Team reviews cases of fetal and infant deaths and the social, economic, and health factors that may have contributed to the deaths. The team identifies trends and issues and makes recommendations for change. These recommendations are reviewed by BHB’s Community Advisory Board, Steering Committee, and Core Implementation Team. Neighborhood Action Teams in two areas with high infant mortality rates—Upton/Druid Heights and Patterson Park North & East—also work to implement FIMR recommendations within their communities.
The Baltimore City Health Department gathers information for the case reviews from public health, medical, and social services records. A public health nurse conducts interviews with mothers who have suffered losses, if the mother agrees, and then refers families to bereavement support and community resources.
FIMR Team
Advocates for Children and Youth * Annie E. Casey Foundation * Baltimore City Health Department * Baltimore Healthy Start * Baltimore Medical System * Behavioral Health System Baltimore * BHB Community Advisory Board * Faith-Based Leaders * Family League of Baltimore * HealthCare Access Maryland, Inc. * Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center * Johns Hopkins HealthCare * Johns Hopkins Hospital * March of Dimes * Medstar Harbor Hospital * Mercy Medical Center * Priority Partners * Roberta's House * University of Maryland Medical Center * University of Maryland School of Social Work * Women, Infants, & Children
Child Fatality Review (CFR)
CFR brings together city agencies and key experts to review fatalities of Baltimore City children from birth to age 17 to help us learn how to prevent these tragedies from happening again. Every month, the CFR Team meets to review the information, identify trends and places where we could intervene, and makes recommendations for change. The Baltimore City Health Department gathers information for CFR from public health, law enforcement, medical, and social services records. CFR meetings are completely confidential. CFR Team members use some recommendations to make changes in their agencies’ policy and practice.
CFR Team
Annie E. Casey Foundation * Baltimore Child Abuse Center * Baltimore City Department of Social Services * Baltimore City Fire Department * Baltimore City Health Department * Baltimore City Public Schools * Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office * Baltimore Healthy Start * Baltimore Police Department * Behavioral Health System Baltimore * Family League of Baltimore * HealthCare Access Maryland * Johns Hopkins Hospital * Maryland Department of Juvenile Services * Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success * Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice * Roberta’s House * Safe Kids Baltimore * University of Maryland Medical Center
Full Reports
For more information about FIMR or CFR, contact Cathy Costa at cathy.costa2@baltimorecity.gov