Michigan  Child  Death  Review  Program

This program, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Community Health, provides state level coordination, technical support and training to enhance and expand local fetal and infant mortality review efforts throughout Michigan.  The FIMR process is used as a mechanism to actively improve resources and service delivery systems available to women, infants and families within a community.

The FIMR process begins with the death of an infant in the community.  The death certificate starts the data collection phase, the infant's birth certificate is matched and a maternal interview is sought from the family.  The mother's prenatal, E.R., delivery and post partum medical records are then abstracted, along with the infant's delivery, newborn (NICU), E.R. and pediatric records.  Any existing medical examiner, law enforcement and protective service records are also abstracted.  All identifiers for the infant and family, health providers and delivering facility are then removed to compile a de-identified FIMR case summary.

This de-identified summary serves as the basis for review activities with the community review team members systematically examining the factors associated with infant deaths in their area.  The reviews produce findings and recommendations from this team (CRT) to a community action team (CAT), which implement needed changes. The goal of the FIMR program is to improve maternal and infant outcomes and reduce infant deaths by giving local communities an enhanced assessment capacity, the ability to influence policy and program development and to increase the quality of care and resources within that community. Recommendations are reported annually to legislators and the Governor.

For more information on FIMR, contact The National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program at (202) 863-2587 or email inquiries to nfimr@acog.org.  

 For information on the Michigan FIMR program contact: