State Moves To Prevent Infant Deaths

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — New estimates from a state department show fewer Michigan infants dying while the state develops policies to save more babies.

A February report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says the state’s infant mortality rate fell by 14.6 percent from 2000 to 2013 but still is slightly higher than the national rate of 6 deaths for every 1,000 births.

The announcement Wednesday comes after the department worked with other organizations in response to what the report calls “persistently high infant mortality rates.”

The report says the department is trying to boost efforts to inform mothers of safe sleep practices, create a perinatal care system and craft new policies to curb premature births, which can lead to health problems.