Infant Mortality and Maternal Risk Factors in Texas: Highlighting Zip Code Variations in 2 At-Risk Counties,...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Significant geographic disparities in infant mortality rate (IMR) exist within Texas.
• The Healthy Families initiative aims to improve pregnancy outcomes in high-risk counties.
• Understanding maternal risk factors is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine associations between maternal risk factors and infant deaths in two Texas counties.
• To inform strategies for improving infant and maternal health outcomes.
• To identify geographic variations in IMR and risk factors at the zip code level.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of linked birth and infant death records (2011-2015) from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Logistic regression used to assess associations between maternal sociodemographic/pregnancy factors and infant mortality.
• Data mapped at the zip code level to identify localized trends.

Main Results:

• Texas IMR was 5.4/1,000 live births; Hidalgo County was 4.6, Smith County was 7.5.
• Congenital malformations were the leading cause of infant death.
• Maternal marital status, education, multiple gestation, and cesarean delivery were significantly associated with infant mortality.

Conclusions:

• Zip code-level variations in IMR and maternal risk factors were identified in both counties.
• These localized variations informed the development of targeted outreach strategies.
• The findings support community-level interventions to address health disparities.