Maternal & Child Health

DHH Secretary Kathy Kliebert visited Louisiana hospitals participating in the Best Fed Beginnings initiative this week to assess the progress made as each hospital approaches the final phase to become a designated “Baby Friendly” facility.

The [Best Fed Beginnings] program’s major goal is to increase the number of breastfed babies. The $6 million initiative began last year and will conclude in September 2014. The 89 participating hospitals must complete the American Academy of Pediatrics-endorsed Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding program. By doing so, they will receive a “baby-friendly” designation from the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund.

In Louisiana, approximately 80 babies die each year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is the broad medical term for sudden, unexplained deaths of infants before they reach their first birthdays. This October, as part of SIDS Awareness Month, the Department of Health and Hospitals is encouraging families to create a safe sleeping space for their babies.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals celebrates National Women's Health Week, May 12-18. National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower risks of certain diseases.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Maternal and Child Health Program is conducting public awareness events during October, which is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, to educate parents about the importance of a safe sleep environment in lowering a baby’s SIDS risk.

The Region 4 (Acadiana area) Office of Public Health has organized a donation drive that will combat one public health issue while providing a solution for another.

The school year is almost here, but will your child be ready? Besides shopping for supplies, your back-to-school checklist should include making sure your child has an up-to-date shot record. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals wants to remind parents that it’s important and it’s the law.

To help parents in Southwest Louisiana prepare their children for school and day care this fall and to protect them from preventable diseases, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals – Office of Public Health is hosting back-to-school immunization events at parish health units and clinics throughout the area.

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein today gathered with the Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA), the Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and other Louisiana health care leaders at Woman’s Hospital to celebrate the 20 Louisiana hospitals that have demonstrated a commitment to healthier moms and babies through their participation in DHH’s 39-Week Initiative.

These indicators provide a snapshot of health statistics common to Maternal and Child Health issues. Data are avaialble at the State, Regional, and Parish Level.