In recognition of September as the National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, I’d like to share some SMART tips to pregnant women:

S = Seek prenatal care early.  Problems in pregnancy cannot be fixed at the last minute. Tests for genetic problems can only be detected in the early first and second trimesters.  A first trimester ultrasound is also the MOST accurate in terms of a due date. 

M = Mention all high-risk factors such as family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or bleeding. Do not omit information such as smoking or “recreational” drugs.  It will come back to haunt you.

A= Ask to have your cervix measured during your ultrasound if there is a previous history of premature contractions or delivery.  A cervical length of 2.5 centimeters or less is a risk factor for preterm labor. 

R= Research your hospital and prospective physician or midwife carefully.  Is the physician or midwife skilled in managing high-risk conditions?  Will they continue to see you even if you lose your insurance?  Has the hospital had any recent outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant – infections in the newborn nursery?  Is there 24-hour anesthesia? 

T= Test for potential problems such as Gestational Diabetes, Sickle Cell Trait or sexually transmitted infections.

The U.S. is one of the most industrialized countries in the world, yet we rank below Cuba and Taiwan, with respect to our national infant mortality rate.  The health of a nation is judged by its national infant mortality rate. We can do better.  We must do better.  The health of our future generation is depending on it.

Like most Americans, I admired the Kennedy family from afar and  their compassion had far-reaching effects.  President John Kennedy sent troops to the Deep South and protected the civil rights of my relatives.  Senator Robert Kennedy transformed my beloved Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn community into a successful economic empowerment zone that created jobs and stability.  We always looked forward to the annual ice skating party that was organized by Mrs. Ethel Kennedy even after that horrendous assassination.  Because of Kennedy’s vision, the price of a Bed Stuy brownstone in today’s market begins at one-half-million dollars. 

My introduction to the magic of Senator Edward Kennedy began in medical school during the early eighties when my former Assistant Dean, Dr. Van Dunn, resigned from BU to become the senator’s Senior Policy Advisor.  Senator Kennedy was full engaged and committed to healthcare reform and Dr. Dunn had the privilege of helping him.  Kennedy’s name re-emerged during the early nineties when I was working in a small southwest Louisiana community.   Towns were buzzing for miles around about the marriage of Kennedy and a Cajun woman named Victoria Reggie.

I love walking through the congested WIC (Women, Infant and Children) department at work and beam with pride at the sight of beautiful, healthy babies and children.   They are truly Kennedy’s legacy.  If you’ve ever received a Medicare benefit, a WIC check, SHIP benefits, a Family Medical Leave, the right to vote or a COBRA benefit, you can thank Senator Ted Kennedy.  He served “the least among us” nobly.

I hope more legislators and physicians will do the same.

2009 could possibly be called the year of miracles.  First, the election of President Barack Hussein Obama, the Orlando Magic are in the NBA playoffs and now the nomination of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  Somebody quick, hand me another tissue.

The tears of joy that I cry are for all of the pregnant women who step out in faith, not knowing what the future holds for their unborn children.  Out of humble wombs emerge some of our greatest gifts and it never ceases to amaze me.  As a physician who once lived in a New York City housing project (the same former home of entertainment mogul, Jay-Z) I can attest to the inordinate amount of courage, tenacity and stamina it takes to excel in an Ivy League institution.  Thank you Columbia University and BU School of Medicine for believing in me.  Sotomayor’s ascent from the South Bronx to Princeton and Yale makes her nomination to the highest court in the land that much sweeter. She will not render justice with an inflated sense of entitlement.

As a public health servant, I have dedicated my professional career caring for the least among us who deserve the most.  My patients are from every corner of the globe and while some may be “undocumented,” all are carrying jewels.  We thank the mothers of President Obama and Justice Sotomayor for giving us such sacred gifts. 

The Latino presence was clearly felt during the 2008 election and as the landscape and demographics of America continues to change, we celebrate its diversity.   We are a blended family bound by a desire for the common good of all. 

Thank you Justice Souter for holding down the fort.  Please enjoy your well deserved retirement.  The spirit of Thurgood Marshall can finally rest in peace.  Who is Sonia Sotomayor, CNN asks?   She’s a Latina from the Bronx who will definitely watch our backs.