Have a Healthy Baby is a prenatal nutrition education program consisting of six lessons that emphasize nutrition and lifestyle choices — smoking, drinking, and drugs. The program is research-based and taught by trained, caring professionals. It includes a highly visual, interactive, and complete curriculum. It is available in English and Spanish.

This program also includes the Safe Food and You (food safety during pregnancy) lesson. Collaborations with the Indiana State Department of Health and Indiana Perinatal Network include Breastfeeding Task Force, Coalitions and Gestational Weight Gain initiatives.

Who participates?

All pregnant teens are encouraged to participate in the program. Schools and community centers generally recommend those who are in need. The program assists many pregnant at-risk teens and adults in their homes or community centers, including WIC clinics.

Topics

• Adequate weight gain and healthy nutritional choices
• Consequences of smoking, drinking, and drugs
• Importance of early and continuous prenatal care
• Infant feeding choices: breastfeeding and bottle feeding
• Impact of mother-to-be’s decisions on herself and her baby

Where is it taught?

In more than 239 middle and high schools, community agencies, and sites throughout Indiana. The program has been replicated in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and 35 other states have purchased the curriculum

Results

In 2006-07

• 28 counties provided the program.
• 985 pregnant adolescents and at-risk adults were taught.
• Data was obtained on 551 live births.
• 65% of smokers report decreased tobacco use.
• 50% achieved appropriate weight gain.
• 41% of participants initiated breast-feeding.
• Decreased neonatal mortality - four deaths reported.
• Decreased days of hospitalization with subsequent savings.
• Decreased long-term care costs due to healthier babies.

Since program initiation:

• over 15,930 pregnant adolescents and at-risk adults taught.
• fewer low birthweight infants, decreased neonatal mortality and decreased days of neonatal hospitalization.
• significant increase in both nutrition knowledge and improvement in intake of healthy foods.
• significant increase in WIC participation after birth.

Participant comments about changes made:

• "I have really been focusing on what I eat. I no longer sit in the house all day, now I try to walk around."
• "I have ate better foods, exercised more and I have changed my mind and am going to try to breastfeed."
• "I have cut back on smoking. I’m choosing to use healthy eating habits."
• "I have quit smoking. I began eating more fruits. I drink more milk."
• "I have decided to breastfeed and to select different types of food by groups."
• "Eat more fruit and vegetables. Not a lot of fast food. Walking more."
• "The way I put my meals together so I can get food from all the groups."

Did you know...

• Low birthweight (LBW) and short gestational age are the two most important risk factors for infant health and survival (1)
• 8.3 percent of Indiana babies were born at low birth-weight (2005) (2)
• 10.6 percent of infants born to mothers age 10 to 17 were born LBW. 13.4 percent of African-American infants were born at LBW (2)
• 28 percent of LBW births are associated with maternal smoking. In Indiana 17.9 percent of the mothers smoked during their pregnancies (2)
• LBW babies are 64 percent more likely to attend special education classes than normal birth-weight babies (3)
• LBW accounts for 10 percent of all healthcare costs for children (Lewitt et al., 1995).
• Lifetime medical costs of caring for a premature baby is conservatively projected at $500,000 per case (3)
• More than 60 percent of private-sector preterm births and LBW cases are preventable (3)

1 Indiana Infant Mortality Report: 2003 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set, 2005.
2 Indiana Natality Report 2005, Indiana State Department of Health, 2007
3 March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Statbook: Statistics for monitoring maternal and infant health 2001