Lack of OBGYNs drives high infant death rates in Mahoning County

Lack of OBGYNs drives high infant mortality in Mahoning County, says public health commissioner

The Youngstown City Health Department and the Ohio Commission on Minority Health came together Thursday afternoon for an Infant Mortality Symposium.

“The goal is not to just share information,” said Jamille Murphy, the interim director of minority health for the city and organizer of the event. “The goal is also to spark change. Because every baby [deserves] a healthy start, and every mother, they do deserve the support to thrive.”

Mahoning County has struggled with a high infant mortality rate for many years. Its five-year infant mortality rate between 2019 and 2023 was 8.3 deaths per 1,000 births, while Ohio’s was 7.0, according to a report from the state Department of Children and Youth. CDC data shows the national rate of infant deaths was down to 5.3 per 1,000 births in 2024. 

There are also racial disparities: according to Ryan Tekac, health commissioner for Mahoning County Public Health, the county’s Black infant mortality rate is about four times higher than the white infant mortality rate. Tekac said while there have been recent improvements in the white infant mortality rate, the same has not been seen with Black babies. 

Based on the county’s Fetal Infant Mortality Reviews, he said, one of the biggest issues impacting infant mortality rates is prenatal care.

“It’s so very important to get connected with your OBGYN, with a healthcare provider during that first trimester, because that truly sets the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child,” Tekac said in an interview Thursday.

But in Mahoning County, access is limited. 

“When you go into the doctor’s office, you can see that it’s very packed within the OBGYN offices,” Tekac said. “There is a lack of them here in the community, which does make it difficult. And then when you look at the Black community, you do see a lack of Black OBGYNs within our community. I think we only have one currently, and there’s just not enough of them.”

He added that the county is looking into an initiative to increase the number of Black gynecologists in the county next year, for those who would feel more comfortable with an OBGYN who looks like them. Lack of trust in healthcare has been a barrier to Black maternal and infant health, according to Murphy. 

“There is systemic issues, systemic racism. … Some Black mothers don’t feel comfortable. They don’t trust the doctors, they don’t feel comfortable going to the doctors,” Murphy said.  

“They’re treated differently,” she explained. “If you’re treated differently one time, then you know, I guess it carries on, so you have to gain that trust.”

Mahoning County Public Health has several programs and resources available to support pregnant women and babies, including their Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional program and the Mahoning Valley Pathways HUB, a home visiting program. Tekac also pointed 21 News towards the state-directed Family Connects Ohio, which is newly available in the county. 

While much of the conversation around infant health centers on mothers, Murphy said it’s important to also recognize the important role fathers play in their babies’ health and safety. 

“Fathers are just as important as mothers, and we want to help educate them, and we want them to also thrive, but they are important and supporting our moms and babies through the pregnancy and through birth,” Murphy said. 

Maternal mental health was also a focus of Thursday’s event in Youngstown. Ava Jessup-Fields, clinical director at Glorious Counseling Services, said adjusting to life with a new baby can be difficult for new parents, especially for mothers who have just given birth. 

“They’re dealing with all those things, but those things are normal, and the best thing to do is to get help,” Jessup-Fields said. “Don’t sit with those thoughts, because they can get bad and they can spiral. Help is really important to seek out.”