Health Care Disparities in High-Risk Neonates

Long-standing health disparities in maternal reproductive health, infant morbidity and mortality, and long-term developmental outcomes are rooted in a foundation of structural racism. Social determinants of health profoundly affect reproductive health outcomes of Black and Hispanic women disproportionately; they have higher rates of death during pregnancy and preterm birth. Their infants are also more likely to be cared for in poorer quality neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), receive poorer quality of NICU care, and are less likely to be referred to an appropriate high-risk NICU follow-up program. Interventions that mitigate the impact of racism will help to eliminate health disparities.