A Word from Morgan McDonald, MD, Assistant Commissioner, Director, Division of Family Health and Wellness, Tennessee Department of Health
With the release of the recent CDC report, Tennessee and the rest of the country celebrate the decline in infant mortality. Tennessee rates dropped from 8.8 per 1,000 live births in 2005 to 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2014. Tennessee was one of ten states to reduce rates by 11% or more. This is due in large part to the tremendous effort of partners and advocates who have worked tirelessly to make sure that the health of women and children improves inside the health care system and beyond it. We still have work to do, particularly in reduction of prematurity, sleep-related infant death, and disparities elimination. Funded infrastructure, evidence informed approaches, and committed partners will continue to build on successes in the last decade.