Background
In 1996, after several years of collaborative maternal and child health efforts, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), the Indiana Chapter of the March of Dimes and hundreds of individuals and organizations developed recommendations to reduce Indiana's infant mortality rate and to promote optimal health for pregnant women and for infants.
During a series of town forums and regional and state task force meetings, each Indiana community explored its particular challenges and needs. These needs, combined with consensus recommendations, led to the development of the Indiana Perinatal Systems Strategic Plan for the 21st Century (June 1996) - from which IPN evolved.
A statewide consumer education campaign was one of several key recommendation contained in the strategic plan. IPN subsequently evaluated programs used in other states and within various regions of Indiana to reduce infant mortality.
Determining that the most effective public education programs utilized the power of the mass media, IPN, in collaboration with media partners and a network of volunteers and organizations, developed Baby FirstRight From the Start! The campaign was officially launched with a kick-off event in 1998.
As communities across Indiana adopt the Baby First campaign, it continues to expand with new educational materials and resources on maternal and child health issues such as child spacing, fatherhood, diabetes, postpartum depression, and more.
