High Infant Mortality and Maternal Rate in African Americans

Abstract

African-American maternal and infant mortality rates are high, and it is reported that Black infants are more likely to die than white infants according to the most recent government data. The existing racial disparity means that African-American mothers and infants will continue to have a high mortality rate than other populations in the US. The purpose of this paper is to examine the root cause of the high African-American mothers and their infants’ mortality rate. Drawing on government, documentary sources, and NGO reports, the nature of the current state of African American mothers is examined as well as the reasons why the infant mortality rate is exceptionally high for African American infants compared to white infants. The study shows that there is racial disparity for the people of color, leading to them receiving poor prenatal care, lack of educational opportunities, and the opportunity to live in a stress-free environment. In this regard, relevant medical professionals and policymakers need to combine their efforts and develop viable solutions to reduce the high mortality rate in African American mothers and their infants.

High Infant Mortality and Maternal Rate in African Americans

Introduction

The protection of mothers and infants is a crucial component to the development of any country, including the US. Currently, the US has some of the highest numbers in maternity and infant rates. Numerous reasons exist why African Americans are the most affected by infant and mortality rates. Researches and medical professionals need to develop ways to help these women deal with the high mortality and infant rate. As such, these studies can help gather and analyze data to help reduce these high infant and mortality rates. Some of the root causes of the high maternal and infant mortality rate include low birth weight, maternal complications, poverty, institutional and race discrimination, and SIDS.

Problem One 

One of the leading causes of infant deaths among African Americans is low birth weight. The normal weight for a newborn is 2.5 kilograms, but African American children are born with a much lower weight of 2.4 kilograms and below. As a result, most of these infants die at a young age. There are several reasons why infants will be born with lower birth weight. According to (), the first reason is the type of prenatal care that their mothers receive while pregnant. Unfortunately, many of these pregnant women do not have the capital to afford good prenatal care since most of them lack good jobs and income. This is the second reason why many of these women have a high maternal rate. These are, however, problems that can be avoided since, as an American citizen, they have the right to receive needed prenatal care in good medical institutions.  All in all, these depend on the legislation put forth into dealing with the high infant and mortality rate.

Problem Two

Maternal complications among African American women have led to a high infant death rate as well as a high maternal rate. Many of these women who experience these maternal complications attribute them to the health problems encountered during their pregnancy. According to (), some of the causes of maternal complications include high blood pressure, infections, gestational diabetes, and prenatal stress. Also, stress during pregnancy can lead to high blood pressure since the mother does not supply the needed supply of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. Notably, so, maternal complications also lead to congenital disabilities, which culminate in racial discrimination for the African American new mothers. Any kind of stress is dangerous for the baby, but more so, for the mother who will not feed well, thus denying their infant an excellent chance to grow. These problems can, however, be avoided through the combined efforts of researchers, policymakers, and medical professionals to address these maternal complications and reduce infant deaths.

Problem Three

Poverty and low socioeconomic statuses among the African American women lead to their deaths as well as infant deaths too. A lack of education causes poverty, and unfortunately, many of these African American women lack formal education leading to poor choices during their pregnancy. There are reported cases of some African American pregnant women smoking and drinking while pregnant. This is risky for them as well as the baby and increases their mortality rate. Also, poverty and low socioeconomic status lead to maternal stress and complications. As noted by (), medical professionals can address these issues for pregnant African American women by offering free prenatal care and teaching them about stress-reducing interventions.

Problem Four

Institutional, gender, and racial discrimination are some of the leading causes of high maternal and infant death among African Americans. According to (), many African American women experience acute and chronic life stressors that increase during pregnancy. These life stressors are caused by institutional, racial, and gender discrimination that transcends beyond the workplace. If not addressed, they can lead to mental health challenges as many of these women do not have an avenue to release these stressors. These kinds of life stressors have been linked to depression, especially among African American women. Many of these women do not know that they are affected by these mental health challenges. This increases their risk of death as well as those of their children. Addressing these racial concerns before and after during their pregnancy reduces the risk of mortality.

Problem Five

One of the biggest causes of infant deaths is Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This is a condition where infants die from unexplained death during their sleep. According to (), the cause of SIDS is unknown, but there are speculations that congenital disabilities cause it, especially on the brain. It is thus vital that researchers collect adequate data conceding the effects of SIDS and how it can be avoided. Examples of these physical factors that cause SIDS include brain defects, respiratory infection, and low birth weights. Education is significant for these African American mothers who do not know what they need to do if they get pregnant at a young age. As such, relevant doctors and medical professionals can offer to educate these women about the required steps to take during their pregnancy.

Conclusion

To conclude, the United States can do more to avoid the high infant and maternal mortality rates. This can be achieved through addressing any concerns that these African American women have, especially during pregnancy. Policymakers, medical institutions, and other health professionals need to combine their efforts, examine and develop viable solutions to these problems. More importantly, prevalent issues like chronic stress, racial and institutional discrimination, and lack of adequate prenatal care need to be addressed. All in all, without new measures in place, African-Americans maternal and infant mortality rates will continue to be high.

References

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