Ohio has seen progress with its infant mortality numbers, though the numbers still remain well above the national average, and communities of color continue to see disproportionately high rates.
The state’s most recent infant mortality data showed 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is lower than the state has seen in a decade of reporting the data, according to early childhood advocates. The national overall infant mortality rate is 5.36 per 1,000 live births, according to the CDC.
“Ohio has made progress on infant mortality, but it didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen by accident,” said Caitlin Feasby, managing director of policy at child advocacy group Groundwork Ohio, during a recent panel discussion with other advocates.
Data from Groundwork Ohio and evidence found in research done by local experts showed continued disparities for babies and mothers of color. While the infant mortality rate for white infants in Ohio is 5.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, the rate for Black infants is 12.6 per 1,000 births, more than 2.5 times the rate of white infants. Hispanic babies see a rate of 6.7 per 1,000 live births.
Those working on the ground to keep track of resources for pregnant people and infants in their first years of life have said the state still lacks a level of patient-centered care, and education on what is available to Ohioans who need it.
“While we’ve made progress as a state … the fact that the same themes are coming up from women of color as they have well before just the past 10 years is something that’s really resonating with our hospitals and our key stakeholders,” said Christine Sander, senior director of community wellness at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and director of the Ohio Better Birth Outcomes Collaborative.
Throughout listening sessions with various groups, another similar problem came up among pregnant individuals in Ohio: a lack of respect.
“Women want to feel heard and respected, and included in decisions about their own care,” said Maleka James, infant mortality initiatives manager at Dayton Children’s Hospital. “Access alone is not enough.”
James said community members felt “dismissed” by providers and saw racism present in healthcare, adding to the stress that was already affecting their maternal health.
Richard Stacklin, a senior director for the early childhood advocacy group First Year Cleveland, said Black Ohioans having children in Cuyahoga County already face an infant mortality rate more than three times higher than white infants in the county, but before the children are even born, parents report negative interactions with medical professionals during the birthing process.
“Women were not heard, they were disrespected, religious beliefs were not taken into account in some cases,” Stacklin said.
While the birthing process brought mostly negative comments, Stacklin did say postpartum care received positive notes.
Advocates from across the state say lawmakers in Ohio need to do even more to help with infant mortality rates, especially those in marginalized communities and areas.
The most recent state operating budget reduced funding for “infant vitality,” a budget line-item, from $20 million as was proposed by the Ohio House, to $18 million per year for two years, after conference committee negotiations between the two chambers. The number is up slightly from $16.8 million, according to 2025 numbers for the fund.
The budget provided $5 million for maternal health programs “by community and local faith-based service providers,” down from the $7.5 million the governor proposed in his version of the budget.
A $1 million provision to provide non-medical services at residential infant care centers was removed from the budget before it was finalized.
A Maternal and Child Health Block Grant to the tune of $5 million remained in the final budget.
Federal funding cuts also impacted infant and maternal mortality, particularly those who provide care for Medicaid-eligible Ohioans in rural areas. Financial losses at these rural hospitals have already impacted facilities in the form of maternity ward closures, or risk of closure for entire facilities, leaving pregnant individuals with less opportunities to receive care.
Research released this year found that hospitals in Ohio and at least 36 other states face billions in reduced payments for services due to the Medicaid funding changes approved by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. When the changes were first proposed, it was estimated that Ohio’s Medicaid program would lose $33 million over the next 10 years.
In talking about potential help from the state, Stacklin mentioned Ohio Senate Bill 396, which would establish up to 18 weeks of family and medical leave insurance benefits. The bill would also provide resources and education on the family and medical leave as part of the measure.
“If we say we care about our moms and babies, we should establish policies that take care of our most vulnerable during their most vulnerable times,” Stacklin said.
Though the measure has bipartisan co-sponsors, it has not seen action within the legislature since it was referred to the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance, and Technology Committee in March.
Since the bill has yet to have any hearings, it has an uphill battle to passage. The current General Assembly ends in December, and any legislation that has not been passed before then will need to be re-introduced in the new year, with the start of a new General Assembly term.
This story is republished from the Ohio Capital Journal under a Creative Commons license. View the original article.
