Health Disparities Exist Among Women, Babies and Children
In Rowan County:
- More than one in three pregnant African American women do not receive timely prenatal care
- African American babies are born premature and low birth weight at a much higher rate than for white babies
- African American babies die at a higher rate than white babies
Our Goals:
- Health equality for all women, babies and children
- Healthy women before, during and after pregnancy
- Planned, intended and healthy pregnancies
- Families spacing the birth of their babies by at least 2 years
- Women obtaining prenatal care within the first 3 months of pregnancy
A Healthy Lifestyle Contributes to Healthy Women, Babies & Children
- Women have a healthcare home and receive care before becoming pregnant
- Women receive timely prenatal and postpartum care
- Women consistently use an effective birth control method to prevent unplanned pregnancy
- Provide babies with a safe sleeping environment to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- Breastfeed babies for improved nutrition
- Women take a multi-vitamin with folic acid to help prevent spina bifida and other spinal cord defects
- Don’t smoke and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke
- Place infants and children in a properly installed and approved car safety seat
Health Link Services
- Education and resources to help families adopt a healthy lifestyle leading to healthy and planned pregnancies, positive birth outcomes and healthy babies and children
- Improved access to pre-pregnancy, family planning, prenatal and postpartum care and supportive services for eligible families
- Transportation to healthcare and family support services
To learn more, call Health Link at 704-216-8795
Health Link is a partnership between the Rowan County Health Department, the Healthy Baby Coalition of Rowan County and many local agencies including the Adolescent and Family Enrichment Council.
Funding Sources: The Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation, NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, NC Healthy Start Foundation, Rowan County and Smart Start Rowan.