Clyde L. Reese, III, Esq., Commissioner	Sonny Perdue, Governor

DCH Joins in Public-Private Partnership to Address Rising U.S. Infant Mortality Rate

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Community Health’s (DCH), Maternal and Child Health Program is taking steps to improve birth outcomes in Georgia by serving as an outreach partner for Text4baby.  Text4baby is a free mobile information service that provides timely health information to pregnant women and new moms during pregnancy and through a baby’s first year.  

Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish),   receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth.  These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health and safe sleep.   Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other resources.

"We are proud to be a part of Text4baby," said Brian Castrucci, Director of DCH’s Maternal and Child Health Program.  "Mobile health services around the world have demonstrated the ability to help change patient behavior and improve health outcomes.  We believe that this program can have a significant impact on maternal and child health throughout Georgia."

In 2007, 21,256 babies were born premature in Georgia and an estimated 1,198 infants died before their first birthday signifying a public health crisis.  Each year in the U.S., more than 500,000 babies are born prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday.  The infant mortality rate in the U.S. is one of the highest in the industrialized world, and for the first time since the 1950s, that rate is on the rise.

Text4baby wireless carriers are voluntarily providing the critical communications link of the initiative, distributing text messages to recipients at no charge.  Participating carriers include: Alltel, AT&T, Cellular South, Cellcom, Centennial Cellular, Cincinnati Bell, Metro PCS, N-Telos, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon and Virgin Mobile.

Text4baby is an educational program developed by National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition that is made possible through a partnership that includes the White House Office on Science and Technology Policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Voxiva, CTIA-The Wireless Foundation, Grey Healthcare Group (a WPP company) and founding corporate sponsor Johnson & Johnson.  Premier sponsors include WellPoint, Pfizer and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and wireless carriers that are distributing text messages at no charge to recipients.  Implementation partners include BabyCenter, Danya International, Syniverse Technologies, Keynote Systems and The George Washington University.

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About DCH’s Maternal and Child Health Program

The program seeks to promote and improve the health and well-being of women, children and families by building maternal and child health epidemiology and data capacity at the state and local levels to effectively use information for public health actions.  To learn more, visit http://health.state.ga.us/epi/mch/.

About the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition

The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) is the only coalition of its kind which acts as a catalyst for change by creating partnerships among community groups, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, businesses and government agencies.  The Coalition promotes optimal health for mothers and babies, and works to strengthen families and build healthy communities.  For more information, visit http://www.hmhb.org/.