Am. H. C. R. No. 12 Summary

• Declares Ohio's infant mortality rate a public health crisis, with Ohio ranked 47th nationally and 1,047 infant deaths in 2012 alone

• Identifies preterm birth as the leading cause of infant mortality in Ohio at 12.1% for 2013, with 89% of babies born before 32 weeks requiring expensive NICU care averaging $280,000 per infant

• Urges comprehensive preterm birth risk screening for all pregnant women in Ohio, including cervical length measurement using transvaginal ultrasound or cervicometer technology

• Notes that vaginal progesterone treatment for women with short cervix can reduce preterm birth rates and infant mortality nearly in half while reducing NICU admissions by 25%, with generic treatment costing less than $400 per course

• Estimates statewide implementation could save over $27 million annually, including over $10 million in Medicaid savings, as NICU babies consume 15% of Medicaid spending despite representing only 0.2% of the population