A new report by the Saskatoon Health Region shows that the Infant Mortality Rate in the Saskatoon area is among the highest in Canada. The Saskatoon region averages about 6.6 infant deaths per 1000 live births, compared to the Canadian average of 5.1.
The report examined births from 2007 to 2009. It suggests that people with a lower socio-economic status, living in the core neighborhoods are 1.5 times more likely to have a baby die than those living in other areas of the region.
Dr. John Opondo, Deputy Medical Health Officer says the number is not good news for the core area. "It is still much higher than the overall average for the city, so we need to work at trying to bring that rate down.”
Experts say babies born in core neighborhoods are at a higher risk of being low birth weight and premature. They are also more likely to be born to a teenage mother, which significantly increases the risk of infant mortality.
“You know the range could be as young as 15 or up to 19… so some of these are pretty young women that are in high school, so really trying to address some of their reproductive health needs is important," says Opondo.
The Saskatoon Health Region says its goal is to focus on closing the gap on infant mortality rates between different groups in the city. The first step is to provide top-notch prenatal care to those who need it most.
