2017 Right Start Report
Maternal and Child Health in Michigan

Children who are born healthy and whose mothers receive adequate services are more likely to experience better developmental outcomes in the short- and long-term. This includes both physical and mental healthcare before, during and after pregnancy. When mothers have access to high-quality care and receive information and education about pregnancy and parenting, there is an increased likelihood for healthy births—including fewer babies born too soon or too small and reduced risks of infant mortality.

The annual Right Start: Maternal and Child Health report reviews eight indicators by county and for the 69 largest cities and townships in Michigan. The 2017 report compares 2010 (2008-2010 three-year average) to 2015 (2013-2015 three-year average) and highlights infant mortality trends in the state. While overall improvement has been made to reduce the number of babies who die before their first birthdays, the rates are rising for Hispanics and the gap between White and Black infant deaths continues to exist by a more than 2—1 ratio.

The latest data on the Right Start indicators are available for all 69 cities with over 25,000 population and all 83 Michigan counties on the KIDS COUNT Data Center.

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