CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Sitting next to Ohio’s governor, Yolanda Jackson shared her story.
“And I don't know how to get over it. I know how to live with it, but I don’t know how to get over it,” said Jackson.
The Avondale mother is grieving over her stillborn baby and praying that her 9-month-old daughter, Mia, continues to fight. Mia was born prematurely and remains in Children’s Hospital with breathing and feeding tubes.
“I remember being on the table refusing to deliver because I was so concerned about the baby. I'm like, 'Well, I'm only 24 weeks...' And the attendant told me, 'Either you deliver now and we try to save your baby and we definitely save you, or you stay pregnant and you both are going to die,'” said Jackson.
Jackson developed preeclampsia despite getting medical care throughout her pregnancy and having a healthy lifestyle. She’s one of a number of women in Cincinnati who experience extreme preterm birth, which is the leading cause of infant death in Hamilton County. Avondale had the highest numbers.
Cradle Cincinnati’s executive director, Ryan Adcock, joined Gov. Mike DeWine for a roundtable discussion Wednesday to talk about the infant mortality rate. In 2017, nearly 1,000 Ohio babies died before their first birthday.
Ohio's infant mortality rate is not spread evenly; African-American families are three times more likely to be impacted. The leading causes of infant death are prematurity-related conditions.
Adcock says a pilot program in Avondale saw surprising success in reducing the number of infant deaths.
“A whole group of partners along with families in the neighborhood came together to try to change that, and from 2015 to 2017, over the course of a three-year project, there were actually zero preterm births in Avondale, so that was really surprising news to everyone involved. And we've really gotten together and said, 'Man, how can we take that model and bring it to other neighborhoods?'" said Adcock.
Cradle Cincinnati launched a new Connections program. It plans on targeting four neighborhoods. They’ve already opened offices in North College Hill and Price Hill. Later in 2019, they plan on opening offices in Westwood and in Avondale.
Gov. DeWine said he is pledging to reduce the state's infant mortality rate by tripling the number of home visitation programs. He hopes the Cradle Cincinnati program will serve as a model for other organizations throughout the state.
