Health Services

Infant Mortality



6.9

Infant deaths per 1,000 live births among Hispanics in Indiana

Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. Infant mortality in Indiana is among the highest in the nation (National Center for Health Statistics, 2019). The infant mortality rates of Hispanic/Latino(a) communities (6.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births) in Indiana are much higher than the national rate (5.8) in 2020 (America’s Health Rankings, 2020). A large proportion of infant deaths can be prevented through balanced nutrient intake, obesity reduction, prenatal care, tobacco cessation, safe sleeping practices, and breastfeeding.

Plant the seed of a healthy infant

1. Care for the soil by maintaining a healthy weight prior to becoming pregnant.

2. Don’t plant prior to planting season, meaning use protection when having sex, except when wanting to get pregnant.

3. Plant in a sunny area by cultivating happy relationships.

4. Make sure your seed is fertilized by taking prenatal vitamins.

5. Water the seed by leading a healthy lifestyle.

6. Tend the garden by meeting with a doctor for prenatal care visits throughout pregnancy.

7.Let the seed grow naturally and aim for a full-term pregnancy.

8. Protect the growing sprout by using a car seat and placing the baby on his or her back when sleeping.

For The Love Of Life – English

For The Love Of Life – Spanish

{I shared it with my daughter who’s 17. She also saw the video. I showed her what to do when she’s the right age to have kids. I told her how to take care of herself and her baby. {

Female, 45

Mother of children 25, 23, 24, and 17-years old and caretaker of other children

{[I learned] that it’s important to have a good nutrition for the babies and for the mothers before the pregnancy and during the pregnancy, so that the babies are born healthy…. Also, good nutrition, like the plant needs water and sun just like the baby needs food before it is born, too. {

Female, 32

Mother of children 12, 10, and 8 years-old and caretaker of other children

{It’s important to prepare ourselves even before it is born. Like the video said, we need to prepare the soil before planting the seed. It’s the same with our kids. Before getting pregnant, we should take care of ourselves, so our kids grow and develop, and so they’re healthy when they’re born.{

Female, 45

Mother of children 18, 17, 13, and 7 years-old

{What I would say is to make us understand that just how a plant needs care, we need to take care of ourselves, too, when we are procreating a child. Just how we take care of our plants, sometimes with a lot of love and fertilizer, we need to take our prenatal [vitamins] and it’s important to do so.{

Female, 44

Mother of children 10, 7, and 6 years-old