The Shelby County Health Department and its partners have a number of initiatives,
listed below, that address prematurity, which is a leading cause of infant mortality.



?7



Fetal Infant Mortality Review Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)
is a community-based and action-oriented process used to improve service
systems and resources for women, infants, and families. This evidence-based
method examines fetal and infant deaths, determines preventability, and
engages communities to take action.

TennCare Presumptive and Prenatal ?_Presumptive Eligibility (PE) is a
TennCare Medicaid category of coverage for income-eligible pregnant women.
It encourages early entry into prenatal care for improved health outcome for both
the mother and the baby. An income-eligible pregnant woman can begin
receiving covered services on the day that she is approved for PE. Appropriate
prenatal care throughout pregnancy can prevent conditions that lead to
premature labor and birth.

Family Planning? provides information concerning reproductive health, birth
spacing, and preconception health services- including FDA-approved birth
control methods. The ability to space births through the use of birth control leads
to healthier planned pregnancies, resulting in healthier newborns and mothers.

Breastfeeding Support- counseling and assistance to new mothers to
encourage breastfeeding, which is proven to have many health benefits for both
the infant and the nursing mother.

Safe Sleep Education- the ABCs of Safe Sleep campaign promotes safe infant
sleep environments and techniques to the entire community. It is an important
intervention because up to one quarter of infant deaths are due to preventable
sleep-related causes.

Safety Equipment and Resources for Parents- the Health Department
provides Pack Play cribs at no cost to families that self-identify their need for a
safe sleep environment for their babies. The Infant Car Seat program provides
car seats at no cost for families in need of a car seat.

Women, infants and Children assists families with supplemental
nutritious foods, education provided on breastfeeding support (moms and
designed to safe guard health of women, infants, and children
up to age 5 that are at highest nutritional risks. Pregnant women are eligible to

participate. Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight
and preterm birth.

Newborn Outreach Screening-_Newborn screening is a public health
program designed to screen infants shortly after birth for conditions that are
treatable, but not clinically evident in the newborn period.