Bronson Recognizes Historic Reduction in Black Infant Mortality in Kalamazoo County—While Emphasizing Urgent Work Still Ahead
Kalamazoo, MI — Bronson today recognized encouraging new data showing that Black infant mortality in Kalamazoo County has reached its lowest level on record, reflecting years of coordinated clinical, community and public health efforts across the region. At the same time, Bronson leaders and clinicians emphasized that too many infants continue to die before their first birthdays (infant mortality), and that persistent racial disparities underscore the need for continued action, accountability and sustained investment in maternal and infant health.
For every 1,000 Michigan live births, more than six infants die before their first birthday. In 2024, 629 infants under the age of one died, resulting in an infant mortality rate (IMR) of 6.3. According to recently released county data, 12 infants died in Kalamazoo County in 2024, resulting in a single year total infant mortality rate of 4.8. Over the three-year period from 2022–2024, Kalamazoo County’s total IMR of 4.5 was lower than the State of Michigan’s rate of 6.3, signaling overall improvement in infant survival outcomes.
Most notably, the Black infant mortality rate declined to 7.0, the lowest in the history of Kalamazoo County. This represents meaningful progress when compared to statewide figures, where the Black IMR was reported at 13.2 during the same period.
“This is significant and encouraging news for our community,” said Karen Garcia, DO, Newborn Hospitalist at Bronson Children's Hospital. “Every reduction represents babies who are reaching their first birthdays and families who are spared unimaginable loss.”
Bronson’s Responsibility as a Regional Clinical Leader
As the only children’s hospital in southwest Michigan and the primary provider of obstetric care in the region, Bronson has a vital role in influencing clinical outcomes tied to infant mortality—the number one cause of death for children from birth to age 18. From prenatal care and labor and delivery to neonatal intensive care and postpartum follow up, Bronson clinicians, in partnership with many community partners, are accountable for improving survival and reducing preventable risk.
“With our role comes a profound responsibility,” said Aaron Davies, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist at Bronson Children's Hospital and chief of quality for Bronson Medical Group. “We cannot view these outcomes as abstract statistics. They are a call to continuously examine how care is delivered, how risk is identified earlier, and how systems work—or fail—for families.”
Progress, With Persistent Disparities
While the decline in Black infant mortality represents historic progress, Black babies in Kalamazoo County are still dying at a rate 2.5 times higher than White babies, whose IMR during the same period was 2.8.
Bronson leaders stress that this contrast must remain central to how success is defined.
“We can celebrate improvement without losing sight of inequity,” said Arthur James, MD, OB/GYN and pediatrician. “A Black infant mortality rate that is historically low is not the same as an outcome that is acceptable. When a baby’s chance of reaching their first birthday varies by zip code, it reflects conditions that shape health long before delivery. Our immediate goal is equity, and our north star is zero tolerance for inequities in the outcomes we can influence.”
Understanding What Is Working—and What Must Change
Bronson is committed to working alongside clinical researchers and public health partners to better understand:
- The drivers behind the recent reduction in Black infant mortality
- Which clinical, social and community interventions are having the greatest impact
- Whether observed changes reflect statistically significant and sustainable trends
Insights and clinical interpretation from Dr. Arthur James and Dr. Aaron Davies will be critical for translating these findings into actionable improvements across care settings.
Sustaining Progress Through Partnership
Bronson recognizes that infant mortality reduction requires shared ownership across healthcare, public health and community systems. Sustaining and accelerating progress will depend on continued collaboration between clinicians and partners such as the Kalamazoo County Health Department, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed), and Cradle Kalamazoo as well as clinicians and stakeholders across surrounding counties. Bronson leaders also noted that this work extends beyond Kalamazoo County, with a resolve to improve IMR for all the communities within Bronson’s region of responsibility, including Calhoun and Van Buren Counties.
“This work does not belong to any single organization,” said Bill Manns, President and CEO, Bronson Healthcare. “It belongs to all of us who care for families before, during and after birth—and to the communities who trust us with their babies’ lives.”
