| A lovely Nigerian proverb reflects that "Children are the reward of life." But in September, "Baby Safety Month," we are reminded that many African American children are treasures quickly lost to their grieving families.
Infant mortality, defined as the death of a child before its first birthday, may be the most tragic of racial disparities.
The infant mortality rate for African Americans declined from 18.8 per 1,000 babies in 1987 to 13.7 in 1997, a positive sign. However, the infant mortality rate of African Americans remains nearly twice that of whites.
To maximize her chances of a healthy birth and baby, every woman should seek early prenatal care. Such care reached record levels in 1997, but while 82.5 percent of pregnant American white women received care in their first trimester of pregnancy, only 72.3 percent of black women did.
Researchers still don't understand all the reasons for early death among black infants, but low birth weight, or LBW,
is an important factor. LBW contributes to infant mortality because smaller babies suffer complications that threaten their lives. Recent research suggests that LBW is not genetic, because women of African descent from other parts of the world do not share African Americans' high rates. This suggests that LBW is preventable.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in which a previously healthy infant is found dead without an apparent cause is a heartbreaking scourge that also drives the infant mortality rate for all Americans. But SIDS devastates twice as many African American homes as whites. Placing infants on their backs to sleep helps prevent SIDS, but surveys show that African Americans are more likely to unwittingly endanger their babies by putting them to sleep on their stomachs.
To obtain the Resource Kit for Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in African American Communities, readers should call 1-800-505-2742. |
