Linda Parson

Linda Parson, director of the Birthing Project in Phoenix, said infant mortality for Blacks in Arizona has come down from 16.8 per 1,000 births in 1990 to 13.8 in 1999.But the rate is still higher than the state's overall rate of 6.8 because so many Black women don't get medical help and so give birth to underweight babies.

The project pairs expectant teenage and adult women with "sister-friends" who help relieve their stresses and keep babies in wombs longer.In 12 years, the project has helped about 870 healthy babies.Only three died.

Linda Parson, Vice :President