September is National Infant Mortality Month. Infant Mortality is the death of a live-born baby within the first year of life. During this time of recognition, our goal is to continue to educate mothers, fathers, family members, community leaders and our public about the shocking number of infant deaths being experienced by families in The United States, and how they can be reduced. "Simply put, our babies are dying! People just don’t realize the impact of infant mortality in our communities and so we have launched our Campaign for Healthier Babies," states Jennie Joseph, midwife, Executive Director of Commonsense Childbirth Inc. and the founder of The JJ Way® maternity health care system.
The United States is 41st in a ranking of 222 countries according to the CIA World Fact Book 2008¹. Nationally, around 6 of every 1000 babies born will die before their first birthday. Many are lost within the first month of life. The leading causes of death are prematurity (being born too soon), low birth weight (being born too small), congenital birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or crib death) and injuries.
The rate for minority populations is higher and varies markedly from area to area. Sadly, African Americans fare worse than any other race and typically experience infant deaths at a rate of two to four times the average for White Americans; their current national rate is 14 per 1000. In Memphis, Tennessee, a Black baby dies every 43 hours² - an unbelievable situation which reflects the trend of a widening disparity between health outcomes for people of color in America. In every community, infant mortality rates must be reduced.
"These are not just numbers on a page from yet another spreadsheet," Joseph points out, "rather these statistics represent shattered lives, dashed hopes, and unfulfilled potential as families grieve the loss of their loved one. It is impossible to measure the pain," she says. Individuals, consumer groups, community and national agencies such as Healthy Start, United Way, March of Dimes, state health departments, health care organizations and facilities, nurses, midwives and physicians have been and continue to dedicate their time and resources to addressing this problem. Studies have shown that:
- Quality, timely and consistent prenatal care and education reduces Infant Mortality
- Women who are healthy before and between pregnancies have healthier babies
- New and innovative approaches to prenatal care are needed
- Government, non-profit and private funding is needed to help communities provide better access to women’s health care./
The JJ Way® Maternal Child Health System
"Every Woman Wants a Healthy Baby and Every Woman Deserves One"
The Birth Place birthing center serves women from all walks of life who ultimately have healthy pregnancies and babies under the care of Jennie's innovative prenatal care program, aptly named The JJ (Jennie Joseph) Way. The mission is simple: to improve pregnancy and infant health outcomes by increasing ACCESS, providing EDUCATION and offering SUPPORT.
The JJ Way® incorporates several components that we believe are critical to healthier outcomes
Jennie Joseph
- Easy Access Prenatal Care Clinics provide care to all women who are pregnant regardless of financial, insurance and citizenship constraints. Early entry and consistent prenatal care is emphasized; no-one is turned away.
- Quality Healthcare is provided in warm, comfortable surroundings, family participation is encouraged and the goal of a full-term healthy, baby is stressed. Listening to mothers’ and fathers’ needs and concerns empowers and encourages compliance with care as well as reducing fear.
- Educational classes, literature, mentorship and support are integral parts of The JJ Way® program. Information is provided in innovative ways with particular attention paid to identifying and removing common barriers to learning and providing practical solutions. Our outreach programs are another essential tool for educating and involving the entire community in understanding and taking ownership of this problem.
A 2007 study³ of The JJ Way® health care system documented no low birth weight babies and no premature babies for the African American and Hispanic women among the 100 study participants. Other successful efforts and models to address this issue are also being demonstrated around the country.
The Birth Place is the original Easy Access Prenatal Care Center and is located in Orlando, Florida. www.thebirthplace.org
Commonsense Childbirth is a non-profit organization formed to enhance women's experience of childbirth and improve perinatal outcomes using a midwifery model of care. Our vision is that all women have a healthy baby. www.commonsensechildbirth.org
Nubian Health Network is an online source for all women's health information needs, especially those of African descent. Our mission is to provide accurate, pertinent and current health education, referrals and resources; help to reduce racial disparities in health care and to re-build positive community connections through sharing. www.nubianhealthnetwork.org
Jennie Joseph
Jennie Joseph is a British-trained midwife of twenty-seven years standing, practicing in the Orlando area since 1995. Her recent book Beautiful! Images of Health, Joy and Vitality in Pregnancy and Birth chronicles the stories of some of the African American women in her practice who have triumphed against the odds, and have had healthy babies. Jennie has become an expert in the field of Black Infant Health and has assisted countless women who would have been at-risk to carry their babies to full-term.
Please Contact Us:
Your support, communication and involvement are essential to our Campaign for Healthy Babies. Thank you. Contact Jennie at jennie@jenniejoseph.com or 407 656 6938.
¹ www.cia.gov
² Babyland documentary ABC News 20/20: www.abcnews.go.com
³ Funded by the Winter Park Health Foundation and evaluated by the Health Council of East Central Florida