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Disparities in perinatal medicine: preterm birth, stillbirth, and infant mortality

Catherine Y Spong1, Jay Iams, Robert Goldenberg

  • 1From the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, and Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Obstetrics and Gynecology
|March 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Racial disparities in infant mortality, stillbirths, and preterm births persist in the US. A workshop convened to identify factors contributing to these persistent public health disparities and develop strategies for reduction.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Health Disparities Research

Background:

  • Infant mortality, stillbirths, and preterm births are critical public health issues.
  • Significant and persistent racial/ethnic disparities exist for these outcomes in the United States.
  • These disparities have remained consistent over the past 30-50 years despite considerable attention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize findings from a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development workshop.
  • To identify factors contributing to persistent racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality, stillbirths, and preterm births.
  • To determine the relative contributions of these factors, identify knowledge gaps, and develop strategies to address these disparities.

Main Methods:

  • The study summarizes a workshop convened by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
  • The workshop focused on analyzing existing data and research regarding racial and ethnic disparities in adverse birth outcomes.
  • Key objectives included identifying contributing factors, assessing their impact, and formulating actionable strategies.

Main Results:

  • Non-Hispanic African Americans experience infant mortality, stillbirth, and preterm birth rates nearly double or significantly higher than the general US population.
  • Infant mortality rate: 13.4 vs. 6.7 per 1,000 live births.
  • Stillbirth rate: 11.1 vs. 6.2 per 1,000 deliveries.
  • Preterm birth rate: 18.4% vs. 12.8% of live births.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality, stillbirths, and preterm births remain a critical public health challenge.
  • Existing strategies have not effectively reduced these disparities, necessitating new approaches.
  • The workshop aimed to provide a foundation for developing targeted short-term and long-term strategies to mitigate these adverse outcomes.

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