Why Is This Important?

Postneonatal mortality is an important indicator of infant and maternal health status and medical care (pre and post delivery), as well as a measure of how certain behavioral factors affect infant health.

Definition

Postneonatal mortality is the death of an infant aged 28 days to 364 days. The postneonatal mortality rate is the number of postneonatal deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is death within the first year of life. This is divided into two components: death before the 28th day of life is neonatal mortality; death between 28 days and one year is postneonatal mortality.

Data Sources

• Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/)
• Linked Infant Death-Birth Database, Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/chs/)
• Linked Birth/Infant Death Records, CDC WONDER On-line Database, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  (https://wonder.cdc.gov/lbd.html)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

One-third of infant deaths occur in the postneonatal period. The postneonatal mortality rate among children of Black mothers is three to five times that of other racial/ethnic groups. The leading causes of postneonatal mortality are sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and congenital anomalies (birth defects). These two causes account for nearly 40% of postneonatal deaths.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The postneonatal mortality rate among New Jersey residents is consistently below that of the U.S.

What Is Being Done?

The [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/ Division of Family Health Services] in the New Jersey Department of Health administers several programs aimed at improving children's health, including reducing infant mortality. In an effort to improve health outcomes among Black and Hispanic infants and mothers in New Jersey, three maternal and child health agencies across the state were awarded $3.5 million in grant funding in July, 2023, as part of the Department of Health's [https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2023/approved/20230710a.shtml Healthy Women, Healthy Families] initiative. [https://nj.gov/governor/admin/fl/nurturenj.shtml Nurture NJ] is a multifaceted initiative to eliminate racial disparities in birth outcomes.

Available Services

The Division of Family Health Services (FHS) provides support for pregnant women and newborns through several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Program for [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/wic/ Women, Infants and Children] (WIC). Perinatal Mood Disorders (e.g., postpartum depression) Helpline: 1-800-328-3838 or [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/maternalchild/mentalhealth/getting-help/] The [https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/maternalchild/outcomes/index.shtml Healthy Women Healthy Families] (HWHF) Initiative works toward improving maternal and infant health outcomes for women of childbearing age and their families, while reducing racial, ethnic, and economic disparities in those outcomes through a collaborative, coordinated, community-driven approach through the use of Community Health Workers and Central Intake Hubs. [http://njparentlink.nj.gov/ NJ Parent Link], an interdepartmental website, is New Jersey's online Early Childhood, Parenting, and Professional Resource Center offering "one-stop shopping" for State services and resources.

Health Program Information

The [https://rwjms.rutgers.edu/departments/pediatrics/divisions/sids-center/overview SIDS Center of New Jersey] (SCNJ) is a program of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital. The program is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health.