are far higher than those in similarly large and wealthy countries, and people of color are at increased risk for poor maternal and infant health outcomes compared to their White peers. Maternal and infant mortality rates in the U.S. Despite continued advancements in medical care, rates of maternal mortality and morbidity and pre-term birth have been rising in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated longstanding disparities in health and health care for people of color, including stark disparities in maternal and infant health. Moreover, the persistence of disparities in maternal health across income and education levels, points to the importance of addressing the roles of racism and discrimination within the health care system as part of efforts to improve health and advance equity.
However, addressing social and economic factors that contribute to poorer health outcomes and disparities will also be important. These include efforts to expand access to coverage and care, increase access to a broader array of services and providers that support maternal and infant health, diversity the health care workforce, and enhance data collection and reporting. The increased awareness and attention to maternal and infant health have contributed to a rise in efforts and resources focused on improving health outcomes in these areas and reducing disparities. Notably, disparities in maternal and infant health persist even when controlling for certain underlying social and economic factors, such as education and income, pointing to the roles racism and discrimination play in driving disparities.
100000 SITE VISITS IN 1 YEAR DRIVERS
However, inequities in broader social and economic factors and structural and systemic racism and discrimination are primary drivers for maternal and infant health. Differences in health insurance coverage and access to care play a role in driving worse maternal and infant health outcomes for people of color. Maternal and infant health disparities are symptoms of broader underlying social and economic inequities that are rooted in racism and discrimination. Maternal death rates increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and racial disparities widened for Black women. Infants born to Black, AIAN, and NHOPI people have markedly higher mortality rates than those born to White women. Black, AIAN, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) women also have higher shares of preterm births, low birthweight births, or births for which they received late or no prenatal care compared to White women. Pregnancy-related mortality rates among Black and AIAN women are over three and two times higher, respectively, compared to the rate for White women (41.4 and 26.2 vs. 1 It finds:īlack and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women have higher rates of pregnancy-related death compared to White women. This brief provides an overview of racial disparities for selected measures of maternal and infant health, discusses the factors that drive these disparities, and provides an overview of recent efforts to address them. Recently, there has been increased attention and focus on improving maternal and infant health and reducing disparities in these areas, including a range of efforts at the federal level. Wade now overturned, increased barriers to abortion for people of color may widen the already existing large disparities in maternal and infant health. The disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people of color has brought a new focus to health disparities, including the longstanding inequities in maternal and infant health.
have persisted for decades despite continued advancements in medical care. Stark racial disparities in maternal and infant health in the U.S.
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