What is Infant Mortality?

Infant mortality is the death of a baby before his or her first birthday. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births annually and is often used as an indicator to measure the health and
well-being of a community. Circumstances that affect the health of a population can also impact the mortality rate of infants.

What is a FIMR Project?
Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) is an action-oriented community process that can address these circumstances that affect the health of a population. The overall goal of FIMR is to enhance the health and
well-being of women, infants and families by improving the community resources and service delivery systems available to them. FIMR is an evidence-based program endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, and the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The FIMR Process – The Cycle of Improvement
The FIMR process brings together key members of the community to review information from individual cases of fetal and infant death. The group can identify factors associated with those deaths, determine if they represent system problems that require change, develop recommendations for change, assist in the implementation of change and verify community effects.