Racial Disparities In Preterm Birth

I completely agree with your claims regarding the presence of racial disparity within the spectrum of health and how maternal health during pregnancy can lead to significant adverse effects on the health of the fetus. I found this to be highly interesting as I was unaware about how much disparity is prevalent within different races across the board. For example, an African American man in Harlem is less likely than a man in in Bangladesh to survive to age 65 or how low-birth-weights are high amongst African American mothers in comparison to white mothers (Kuzawa and Sweet 2-7). Furthermore, other information discussed within the article regarding how environmental and genetic factors could have a lifelong impact on infants during pregnancy

Infant mortality rate constitutes the death of a baby before their first birthday. Mortality rates around the world differ tremendously with America leading the first world countries at an alarming rate of 6.1 deaths per 1,000 births. Conversely, Finland and Japan secure the last, most desirable position, with deaths totaling 2.3 per 1,000 births, as of 2010. (Ovaska-Few, 2015) In 2014, over 23,000 babies died in the United States. (CDC, 2016) Exploring the mortality rates in America brings light to a dire need for additional interventions and research as to why this developing nation has the highest rate of infant deaths before the age of 1 year old. African Americans face the worst outcomes of infant death compared to whites, Latino, and their Native American peers in North Carolina. (Ovaska-Few, 2015) This paper will explore why African American are the leading race for infant mortality and the steps that health communities need to take to address this devastating occurrence.

The medical industrial complex (MIC) holds many influences in the care of women, especially poor marginalized women. MIC is simply a platform of the network among corporations that supply health care services and products to make money. Oparah and Bonaparte explain how the individual’s ability to pay determines the quality of care they receive (Oparah & Bonaparte, 2015, pg. 4). In relations to birthing, hospitals aren’t a place for an intimate connection between a woman that’s about to give birth and their newborns. It’s more of a time efficiency center where doctors (mainly white men) would purposely perform cesarean deliveries to not only save time, but to make a

In addition to infant mortality, infant survivors of LBW and preterm delivery, often experience greater problems in childhood and adulthood. Some of these experiences include higher rates of respiratory illness, impaired growth, cognitive and emotional deficiencies, lower academic achievement and risk of hypertension, diabetes and mental health issues (Behrman and Butler, 2007, Conley and Bennett, 2000 and Raikkonen et al., 2007). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) report that African American pregnancies are at an elevated risk for poor birth outcomes. Figure 1. shows national birth outcomes for African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian pregnancies, as reported by the CDC in 2013:

One important health disparity is the lack of prenatal care amongst women in socially disadvantaged populations. These predominately include women of minorities, women who have a low income, and the location these women live in. This health disparity is important to address because research has shown that women who receive prenatal care are more likely to conceive babies of a healthy birth weight and have low infant mortality rates than those women who do not receive this prenatal care ("Putting Women 's Health Disparities on the Map," 2009). Therefore, health disparities amongst women in need of prenatal care have lead to preventable infant mortalities amongst women in vulnerable populations. Three reasons why this health disparity is important to address include the following: health disparities in prenatal care lead to lack of access to prenatal care to women in vulnerable populations, there are increased adverse health outcomes for both the infant and mother, and there are excess medical expenses that could otherwise have been prevented. Because “prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death in the United States” (“Healthy Mothers and Healthy babies,” 2013), finding and developing a solution will be extremely beneficial and needs to begin with addressing prenatal care.

Although the United States is a leader in healthcare innovation and spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation, not all people in the United State benefit equally from this progress as a health care disparity exists between racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans. Health care disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage…adversely affecting groups of people who have systematically experienced greater social and/or economic obstacles to health and/or clean environment based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion” (National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities [NPAEHD], 2011, p. 3). Overwhelming evidence shows that racial and ethnic minorities receive inferior quality health care compared to white Americans, and multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including geography, lack of access to adequate health coverage, communication difficulties between patients and providers, cultural barriers, and lack of access to providers (American College of Physicians,

In 2008, the death rates for infants was 53% higher for AI/AN women compared with non-Hispanic white women (Centers for Diseas Control, 2015). This is a significant disparity between these two populations. Good health is influenced by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic state, geographic locale, education, and lack of health insurance to name just a few (Healthy People, 2015). The comparison and contrast identified in previous paragraphs clearly presents the existing health disparity of AI/AN’s population.

Major disparities continue to exist in spite of America’s “Affordable Care Act”, Although minorities suffer disease five times greater than the rest of the nation, minorities represent the majority of the disparity. Infant Mortality has always been America’s indicator as to the state of the countries health status. America is one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world, However, America ranks number 24th in the world for infant mortality. Puerto Rican and Indian women rank highest among ethnic classes with low infant mortality rates. Some researchers have found lack of prenatal access as the key contributing factor to low mortality and birth weights among these two ethnic classes.

For the America by the Numbers with Maria Hinojosa assignment, I chose to watch the episode “Surviving Year One”. This episode was about the infant mortality rate in Rochester, New York. The infant mortality rate and the poverty rate for this area is very high. The episode also discussed pre-natal care, pregnancy stress, poverty, and marital services. In Rochester, African American babies are twice as likely to be victims of infant mortality or 11.46%. Other racial groups affected include: Puerto Ricans at 7.10%, Native Americans at 8.28%, and Whites at 5.18%. Not only are African American babies more prone to infant mortality, but preterm births hit this community hard at 16.3%. Factor possibly contributing to the infant mortality and preterm

Death and illnesses among women, infant, and child are preventable. In pregnancy, existing health risks can distinguish or prevent any future health problems for women and their children. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2016), some high-risk factors that may consider are the following: hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, depression, genetic conditions, sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco and alcohol abuse, inadequate nutrition and unhealthy weight. By having this government Healthy 2020 initiative, factors that can affect the pregnancy and childbirth such as poverty,

Childbirth is one of the greatest privileges on the earth anyone could have and we, as women, should feel proud to be major contributors for it. Thus, a mother has to play a key role in aiding the healthcare workers to mitigate the health crisis associated with childbirth by performing her duties faithfully. One such associated health crisis is “Premature (preterm) birth” which occurs when the baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of gestational period (CDC, 2015). The rate of preterm birth ranges from 5% to 18% of babies born across 184 countries (WHO, 2015).

Discuss disparities related to ethnic and cultural groups relative to low birth weight infants and preterm births.

Global disparities in residences and households has existed for as long as society has with some households being more well off than others. The result of the financial situation of a family can determine the amount of antenatal care and delivery care provided to a mother and child, it also influences maternal mortality. The financial support of household can be the difference between a woman having access to care options and death. Women who receive at least four antenatal care sessions, the recommended about by The World Health Organisation (PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN, 2008) are far more likely to survive childbirth than woman who do not have the opportunity to have four antenatal visits. In West and Central Africa and South Asia where the disparities are at some of their largest in antenatal care, the top echelon of women ( the richest 20%) and the poorest women have vastly different attendance during antenatal can between 2010 and 2015.

Infant mortality rates vary amid ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Infant mortality rates are based on the 1983 and 1984 birth and infant-death files, mother’s race and Hispanic origin. Asians have a lower rate of infant mortality than whites but the rates vary

Preterm Birth is one of the most important and interesting topics to any prospective parent. One of the reasons is because it happens so often and unexpectedly. Preterm Birth has become a personal interest in research simply because it has made a tremendous impact in my life. Having a Preterm Birth has taught me lots of things, such as, to grow as a person and as a mother, to see things from a different perspective, to get up, continue with my life, and perhaps to learn how to say “good bye” to a little one without even saying “hello.” For all the reasons above, there are some questions I would like to address: Why do preterm births happen and how can it be prevented? What kind of help is offered to parents and family members who go through the process of having a preterm birth? How effective and relevant is that help?