Though infant mortality rates remained the same from 2022 to 2023, racial and ethnic disparities still persisted, ABC News reports.
On Thursday (November 14), a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) revealed that Black infants are still dying at much higher rates than their white and Asian counterparts.
The disparity persisted despite the U.S. provisional infant mortality rate remaining unchanged from 2022 to 2023 at 5.61 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
According to CDC data, infants born to Black mothers died at a rate of 10.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, which was more than double the rate of the 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births among white infants and 3.4 deaths per 1,000 live births for Asians.
Infants born to American Indian and Alaska Native, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic women also died at higher rates than their white and Asian counterparts.
Dr. Kirsten Bechtel, an expert on infant mortality, said the reason why racial disparities continue to persist is “the $100 million question.”
“One of things that’s great about this data is that it helps us work backward. It’s like the canary in the gold mine,” Bechtel said. “Death is an outcome that everyone agrees on is a problem, but why that problem happens is oftentimes subject to vigorous discussion.”
Bechtel noted that Black mothers have a higher rate of pre-term birth, which has been linked to higher infant mortality.
“That has a lot to do with access to timely prenatal care,” Bechtel said. “Trying to get folks access to timely care during pregnancy and timely care that is evidence-based. We also know there is some elements of structural racism that is built into some of the care these women receive.”
The infant mortality expert said pregnant people need to be supported financially, have better access to medical care, and have a community to help take care of the child.
“Raising a child can be very daunting, especially if you have socioeconomic challenges or you have to go to work and you can’t take time off after your baby’s birth,” Bechtel said. “So we really need to look at policies that support pregnant people.”
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