Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infant Mortality topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
IDPH report shows statewide infant mortality rate improved; McHenry County mirrors state rate
Summary
The Illinois Department of Public Health released 2021 infant mortality data showing a statewide rate of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births; McHenry County's rate matched the statewide rate in the presented data. The board discussed racial disparities and state funding pledged to address birth outcomes.
The board reviewed a recent Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) release showing that the statewide infant mortality rate for 2021 declined to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, down from 6.5 in the last comparable year. Dr. Maso presented the IDPH summary and highlighted persistent racial disparities noted in the state data.
Dr. Maso said the statewide figure of 5.6 per 1,000 was identical to the county’s rate for the year in question. She reported 743 infant deaths out of 132,223 live births statewide in 2021, and that leading causes included prematurity, fetal malnutrition and congenital conditions; COVID-19 did not appear to have a measurable effect on the infant-mortality rate in that dataset.
The board noted Governor Pritzker’s budget pledge of $23 million aimed at improving birth outcomes and closing racial disparities. Dr. Maso emphasized that infant mortality is a broad indicator of population health, reflecting maternal health, access to care, nutrition and other social determinants.
Board members asked about the definition of infant mortality (deaths before age one) and comparisons to other states; Dr. Maso said state-by-state comparisons were not available in her prepared summary. The board discussed the role of county programs — including high-risk infant follow-up, WIC and mobile-clinic outreach — in addressing risk factors identified in the report.
No formal vote was taken; the item was informational.
