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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
14:43

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

Trends in preterm-related infant mortality by race and ethnicity, United States, 1999-2004

Marian F MacDorman1, William M Callaghan, T J Mathews

  • 1Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA. mfm1@cdc.gov

International Journal of Health Services : Planning, Administration, Evaluation
|December 13, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Preterm-related infant deaths disproportionately affect non-Hispanic Black and Puerto Rican mothers. Addressing these disparities is crucial for improving overall infant mortality rates in the U.S.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Infant mortality in the U.S. has seen a stagnation in decline since 2000.
  • This stagnation is partly attributed to an increase in preterm and low-birthweight births.
  • Preterm birth complications are a significant driver of infant mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine trends in preterm-related causes of infant death.
  • To analyze these trends by maternal race and ethnicity.
  • To understand the impact of preterm birth on U.S. infant mortality disparities.

Main Methods:

  • Defined preterm-related causes of death based on clinical evaluation and literature review.
  • Included causes where ≥75% of infant deaths were preterm-related and a direct consequence of preterm birth.
  • Analyzed national infant death data from 1999 and 2004, stratified by maternal race and ethnicity.

Main Results:

  • In 2004, 36.5% of U.S. infant deaths were preterm-related, an increase from 35.4% in 1999.
  • The preterm-related infant mortality rate was 3.5 times higher for non-Hispanic Black mothers and 75% higher for Puerto Rican mothers compared to non-Hispanic White mothers.
  • Preterm-related mortality rates for non-Hispanic Black mothers exceeded overall infant mortality rates for White, Mexican, and Asian/Pacific Islander mothers.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm-related infant mortality shows significant racial and ethnic disparities in the U.S.
  • The rise in preterm births contributes to stalled declines in overall infant mortality.
  • Continued monitoring of preterm-related infant deaths is essential for public health interventions.

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