Infant mortality claims the lives of seven times more children in Virginia each year than does motor vehicle accidents yet receives far less attention and focus, State Health Commissioner Karen Remley, M.D., MBA, said today in announcing the appointment of a working group of medical and health professionals and community and civic leaders to address the problem.

In 2007, 839 infants died in Virginia, with premature births accounting for more than half the total. Earlier today, the March of Dimes released a national “Prematurity Birth Report Card” that gave the United States “D” grade for its preterm birth rate of 12.7 percent.

“The March of Dimes report is a powerful way to raise public awareness of an issue, premature births, that is a significant contributor to infant deaths in our state,” Commissioner Remley said. “The report points out the immediate need to address three of the major causes of premature births — women who are uninsured, pregnant women who smoke and women who choose birth times through Caesarean sections or induced labor.”

In 2007, the infant mortality rate in Virginia was 7.7 per 1,000 live births. The rate for African-American babies was nearly twice as high, 15.5 per live births, while for Caucasian babies it was 6.0 per 1,000 live births. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has set a target of reducing the state’s infant mortality rate below 7 by 2010.

“In recent years, we have learned a great deal about the contributing causes of infant mortality. To save the lives of more babies, we need to be more proactive in sharing this information with pregnant women, their families and others in the community who provide child care, for example grandparents and babysitters,” Dr. Remley pointed out.

“Our emphasis should be on helping expectant moms with birth preparations that include information on prenatal care, nutrition, controlling weight gain, not smoking and carrying a baby to full term whenever possible. Once a baby is born, it also is important for parents and care providers to know that babies should sleep on their backs in their own cribs,” added Dr. Remley, whose career as a pediatrician includes service as a pediatric emergency specialist.

The Commissioner said an important step in changing behaviors is involving more members of the community who have credibility and influence with local families, such as church leaders, local physicians, educators, civic and business officials, grocers or even hair stylists. She also cited AARP, because so many of its members are grandparents and caregivers.

“While public information campaigns can deliver an effective broad-based message about healthy behaviors, even more effective is the counsel that young people receive in their local communities from people they know and trust,” Commissioner Remley said.

The Commissioner’s Working Group brings together a diverse  group of community leaders with medical and health professionals to develop specific strategies and actions that can be taken in the state’s local communities over the next several years to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers and infants.