HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Birth Center at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center has continued its partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) and Tennessee Hospital Association (THA) to reduce infant mortality through sharing the criteria of the BEST award.
BEST stands for breastfeeding, early elective delivery reduction and safe sleep for Tennessee babies. According to TDH, increasing breastfeeding, reducing early elective delivery and increasing adherence to safe sleep practices can reduce infant death numbers.
"TriStar Hendersonville is committed to the health and safety of all of our patients and is proud to partner with the TDH and THA in this important initiative," said Jan Alexander, TriStar Hendersonville's nurse director for The Birth Center.
In 2020, Tennessee's infant mortality rate was 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births — this exceeded the national average of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. Prematurity was one of the leading causes of infant death in 2020.
Sleep-related deaths account for approximately 20% of all infant deaths each year, and unsafe sleep environments were the third leading cause of death.
TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center delivers more than 1,000 babies each year. The hospital's website has information about The Birth Center for those who wish to learn more.
