By CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Public Health will hold its annual summit on maternal and infant mortality today during a virtual event that is free and open to the public.
This year’s event is called “Examining the Roots: The Impact of Maternal Mortality on Infant Mortality,” and will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The summit will explore the connection between women’s health and healthy birth outcomes; the state of rural health care for women; and COVID-19, health and mortality in Alabama.
As of 2018, Alabama’s infant mortality rate was 7.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births – the lowest recorded rate yet for Alabama.
The state’s infant mortality rate has decreased in recent years but disparities between the survival rates of Black and white infants and mothers still persist.
The 2018 Black infant mortality rate was 11 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in Alabama compared to the white infant mortality rate of 5.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, according to ADPH.
Those wishing to tune into the virtual summit must register online.
The Alabama Department of Public Health, Gift of Life Foundation and Birmingham Healthy Start Plus are sponsoring this year’s summit.