Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality

On March 15 and 16, 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIMM) will be hosting a public meeting to discuss Federal program updates; COVID-19 updates; race-concordant care; health of Indigenous mothers and babies; and the impact of violence on infant and maternal mortality. During this two-day meeting, members of the public will have the opportunity to provide written or oral comments. Requests to submit a written statement or make oral comments to ACIMM should be sent to Anne Leitch at SACIM@hrsa.gov. at least 3 business days prior to the meeting. The meeting will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST both days.

Background

Formed in 1991, the ACIMM advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on department activities, partnerships, policies, and programs directed at reducing infant mortality, maternal mortality and sever maternal morbidity, and improving the health status of infants and women before, during, and after pregnancy. The ACIMM consists of public and private members and provides advice on how to coordinate governmental efforts to improve infant mortality, related adverse birth outcomes, and maternal health, as well as influence similar efforts in the private and voluntary sectors. With its focus on underlying causes of the disparities and inequities seen in birth outcomes for women and infants, the ACIMM advises the Secretary on the health, social, economic, and environmental factors contributing to the inequities and proposes structural, policy, and/or systems level changes.

AI/AN Infant and Maternal Mortality

According to HHS Office of Minority Health American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have almost twice the infant mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites. AI/AN infants are also 2.7 times more likely than non-Hispanic white infants to die from accidental deaths before the age of one year and AI/AN infants are 50 percent more likely to die from complications related to low birthweights as compared to the same group. AI/AN mothers are also disproportionately represented in maternal mortality. In 2019, AI/AN mothers were almost three times as likely to receive late or no prenatal care as compared to non-Hispanic white mothers.