Another Black Maternal Health Concern: Premature Babies

According to the March of Dimes, Black birthing parents are 1.5 times more likely to deliver a premature baby than whites, and a premature Black baby is twice as likely to die before their first birthday. It’s well known that the U.S. is among the worst industrialized nations when it comes to maternal health. It’s also a given that birth outcomes are worse for Black women, who are far more likely to die during childbirth than white women.Now, a national charity dedicated to the health of mothers and babies is spotlighting data that shows Black babies are about 1.5 times more likely to be born prematurely than white babies — and are nearly twice as likely to die before their first birthday.In its annual report on maternal health, released Thursday, the March of Dimes also gave the U.S. a failing grade, D+, based on the number of babies born before term last year.The data, and report, is part of Prematurity Awareness Month, when national and international organizations bring attention to the health of those infants and their mothers each November.In an executive summary, Cindy Rahman, interim March of Dimes president, wrote that the consequences of preterm birth “extend far beyond...