Labor of Love Infant Mortality Summit Virtual 2020-December 10, 2020

Virtual, December 10, 2020

IDOH is excited to host the Labor of Love Infant Mortality Summit as a virtual conference. The health and safety of our presenters, attendees and staff is our greatest priority.
We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we look forward to this year’s virtual event.


When this new decade began, few of us could imagine that a pandemic was looming on the horizon. COVID-19 has impacted everything we do in public health as we strive to protect the health and safety of Hoosiers.

One of the many lessons the pandemic has showed us is that good health isn’t just for the very young or the very old. It is a continuum of care and well-being over a lifespan. Its force can be felt by everyone, and it begins with a healthy start.

The focus of the eighth annual Labor of Love Infant Mortality Summit is Delivering Health for Life, reflecting the importance of good health at any age and the impact healthy choices have on protecting our state’s most vulnerable population.

The summit provides meaningful education and interaction with respected professionals in the field of maternal and child health. This year’s summit focuses on adolescent health, postpartum/inter-conception care, adverse childhood experiences, reducing inequities in care and outcomes, role of fathers, substance use disorder and sharing innovative and emerging strategies.

We have three engaging speakers joining us. Indianapolis-native Dr. Nzinga A. Harrison is back again this year to speak about the impact of health disparities. Dr. Christina D. Bethell, director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, will explain how adverse childhood experiences impact future generations. Dr. Tammy Chang is an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and a practicing physician at the Ypsilanti Health Center in Michigan. She will discuss how to break the cycle of poor health and poverty among adolescent mothers and their children.

I hope you can join us for the summit as a virtual conference. The health of our presenters, attendees and staff is our greatest priority. I appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we look forward to this year’s virtual event.

Yours in Health,
Kris Box, MD, FACOG
State Health Commissioner


About Labor of Love

Mother with Happy Baby

Labor of Love is a product of the Indiana Department of Health in cooperation with other organizations.

Infant mortality is the death of a baby before his or her first birthday. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet it has an unacceptably high rate of infant mortality compared to other wealthy countries.

The problem is particularly significant in Indiana, where the overall infant mortality rate was 7.5 infant deaths for every 1,000 live births in 2016.

To combat unacceptable rates of infant mortality in Indiana, the Indiana Department of Health, through its Maternal and Child Health program, is initiating a statewide sustained education and outreach effort. This has been identified as the agency’s No. 1 priority.

What are health disparities?

Mother helping daughter learn to walk

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. Populations can be defined by factors such as race or ethnicity, gender, education or income, disability, geographic location (e.g., rural or urban), or sexual orientation. Health disparities are inequitable and are directly related to the historical and current unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources.

Health disparities result from multiple factors, including

  • Poverty
  • Environmental threats
  • Inadequate access to health care
  • Individual and behavioral factors
  • Educational inequalities

Cancellation Policy: Refunds are not available for any cancelled registration. You may substitute a colleague to attend in your place. This must be submitted in writing at least 14 days prior to the Summit.  Substitutions will not be accepted after 14 days.  Mahern Events, Inc., 940 East Garfield Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46203, USA, 317-313-4046. OR, email at [email protected].

Accreditation Statement: The Indiana Department of Health is accredited by the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation Statement: The Indiana Department of Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.