Boston tests postpartum food, health supports for Black families

Racial inequalities in the health of Boston mothers and families inspired a recent program aimed at improving outcomes for families of color who’ve recently welcomed newborns.Fourteen families participated in the 10-week meal delivery program, organized by the Boston Public Health Commission. The families were also connected to other health programs and received at-home visits from nurses who helped during the postpartum period. The pilot program was inspired by the findings of BPHC’s 2023 Maternal and Child Health of Boston Report, according to the commission’s executive director, Dr. Bisola Ojikutu. That report found the infant mortality rate among Black infants in Boston was more than twice the citywide average and more than three times the rate for white infants. Black infants were also more likely to be born early or with low birth weight. Additionally, according to state data, Black women in Massachusetts are 1.9 times more likely to die during pregnancy or within one year of the postpartum period. They also have a 70% greater risk of severe maternal morbidity.Families were selected for the pilot program through either their participation in the Boston Health Start Initiative or through seeking services at affiliated health care centers in Dorchester, Roxbury, or Mattapan....