The following article was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal and published on News5Cleveland.com under a content-sharing agreement.
A new study shows Ohio’s struggle to improve infant and maternal mortality has roots in systemic issues like health care access, poverty and, above all, racism.
Using the stories of thousands of Ohioans and a specific focus in an area with some of the highest infant mortality rates, advocacy group Groundwork Ohio and Dayton-based non-profit health care company CareSource put together an analysis of the causes of infant and maternal mortality rates in the state, efforts that have been made to stem the problem, and future solutions.
“Reducing infant mortality requires more than data — it demands that we listen to the voices of pregnant women, understand their challenges and act with urgency to remove barriers to care,” Deirdra Yocum, interim president of CareSource’s Ohio market, said in a statement announcing the study.
A 2024 March of Dimes report card showed Ohio’s infant mortality rate at 7.1 deaths for every 10,000 births, ranking Ohio 43rd in the country. Maternal mortality was reported as 24.5 deaths per 100,000 births in the state, a statistic that has worsened in the last year, according to the report card.
“We stand at a pivotal moment where incremental progress is no longer enough,” according to the Groundwork/CareSource study. “Tackling infant mortality demands bold, unified action.”
Groundwork has been continually monitoring mortality rates as part of its early childhood advocacy work. A previous study by the group looked at the rates compared to 10 years ago, when Ohio was one of the worst in the country for infant mortality.
That study showed progress in the last decade, but still found areas of “inadequate” progress.
The research the group did with CareSource acknowledged a “notable improvement” in overall infant mortality rates up to 2022, but it also found the disparities in outcomes between Black and white babies have grown.
“Black infants in Ohio continue to die at more than twice the rate of their white counterparts, a devastating disparity that underscores inequities in health care access and outcomes,” researchers wrote.
Dayton and Montgomery County were recognized as having some of the highest rates of mortality in the study. Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County data from 2023 showed an infant mortality rate of 9.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in that area, compared to the overall state rate of 7.1 per 1,000 births.
“For decades, Black women in Dayton have faced higher barriers to prenatal care, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes for both mothers and infants,” the study stated. “These barriers are compounded by implicit bias within the health care system, leading to delays in care and lower-quality treatment.”
Racism came up as a main issue for reducing maternal and infant mortality in the state, with ties to everything from health care to education and socio-economic status. Economic stability is one of the “most significant barriers” in vulnerable communities, according to the study, with transportation, housing and food insecurity creating “cascading issues.”
“By addressing root causes like racism, economic instability and fragmented systems, we can reimagine a future where every baby celebrates their first birthday and every family has the resources to thrive,” said Lynanne Gutierrez, president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio.
Included in the infant and maternal mortality report was data from Groundwork’s Ohio Family Voices Project, in partnership with the Stanford Center on Early Childhood. The project surveyed current mothers and pregnant individuals on everything from pre-natal medical care to child care, and looked at factors that had a “negative influence” on the quality of care.
Top factors that had a negative influence for participants in the study were income, health insurance coverage, the participant’s own health and their race or ethnicity.
“Health disparities rooted in entrenched inequities within health care, governmental, education and economic systems demand bold reimagining and restructuring,” researchers stated. “Significant policy shifts, better resource allocation and inclusive decision-making are necessary to create meaningful, sustainable change.”
Creating that change involves listening to the lived experiences of those having children and the providers who help them, along with breaking down “political and bureaucratic barriers.”
The groups recommended a host of different changes for the future of the state, including expansions to comprehensive health care access, strengthening of assistance programs, expanding diversity in the health care workforce, improving child care accessibility and supporting trauma-informed systems of care.
“Both small-scale organizational politics and broader systemic challenges impede progress, creating unnecessary friction,” the study said. “Overcoming these obstacles requires trust, open communication and a shared commitment to achieving common goals that prioritize the well-being of mothers and babies.”
