INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Health is hosting the annual Labor of Love infant mortality summit in Indianapolis this week.

Organizers say this year’s theme is “Expecting More” – a call for more emphasis, action, and collaboration in continued efforts to improve infant and maternal health outcomes.

The event is on Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

The summit will feature panels and presentations on topics including maternal mental health, teen pregnancy, substance use disorder, infant loss and bereavement, safe sleep for infants, and the benefits of breastfeeding.

State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP will also deliver remarks on both days of the summit.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, newly released data indicates a decrease in Indiana’s infant mortality rate to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, compared to 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022.

“Every loss of a baby is heartbreaking,” Dr. Weaver said in a press release. “The decrease in infant mortality in Indiana is encouraging and makes it that much more critical to expect more from all our ongoing efforts to better understand the root causes of infant mortality and continue work to improve the health outcomes of mothers and babies in Indiana.”

In 2023, Indiana was ranked third in the nation for maternal mortality, according to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute’s Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy. Data also showed Indiana ranked eighth in infant mortality, and Black infants died at a rate of 2.6 times that of white infants. Major factors cited include social drivers, and determinants of health.

For more information and to view the summit agenda, visit the website here. 

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