CDC data shows rise in maternal mortality and deaths of Black infants in U.S.
TLDRThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released reports highlighting a disturbing increase in maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States, with significant racial disparities. Maternal deaths have risen from an average of 17 per 100,000 births in 2018 to nearly 33,000 in 2021, with Black mothers experiencing a rate more than double the national average. Factors contributing to these alarming trends include increased maternal age, chronic conditions like hypertension, and social determinants of health, such as economic and housing security. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with indirect effects including exacerbated health disparities and changes in healthcare access. The data also reveals a surprising spike in sudden unexpected infant deaths among non-Hispanic Black infants during the pandemic, which may be linked to housing instability and unsafe sleeping environments. The CDC is committed to further research to understand and address these disparities.
Takeaways
- 📊 The maternal mortality rate in the United States is higher than in any other industrialized nation, with a significant increase observed during the pandemic.
- 📈 The maternal death rate for Black mothers is more than double the national average, with nearly 70 deaths per 100,000 births.
- 🔍 Factors contributing to increased maternal mortality include increased maternal age, chronic conditions like hypertension, and social determinants of health.
- 🌟 The CDC data indicates that social and health factors exacerbated by the pandemic, such as economic and housing security, are linked to the rise in maternal deaths.
- 📉 The overall rate of infant mortality is at a record low, but there was a concerning spike in deaths among Black infants during the pandemic.
- 🤰 Long-standing disparities in pregnancy-related deaths exist between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women, with social determinants and historical trauma playing a role.
- 🎓 Even non-Hispanic Black women with a college degree are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than non-Hispanic White women with similar education.
- 🏠 Indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as housing instability and changes in healthcare access, may have impacted infant mortality rates.
- 🛌 Unsafe sleeping environments potentially contributed to the sudden unexpected infant deaths, especially in the context of the pandemic's economic fallout.
- ❓ The CDC is continuing to monitor the data to understand the reasons behind the spike in infant mortality among Black infants and to identify contributing factors.
- 📝 The CDC is using rich data sources and social determinants to further investigate the factors driving the observed increase in maternal and infant mortality rates.
Q & A
What is the current issue with maternal mortality rates in the United States?
-Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are higher than in any other industrialized nation, and the situation has worsened during the pandemic. The rate increased from an average of 17 deaths per 100,000 births in 2018 to almost 33,000 deaths per 100,000 births by 2021.
How does the maternal mortality rate for Black mothers in America compare to the national average?
-The maternal mortality rate for Black mothers is more than double the national average, with almost 70 deaths per 100,000 births.
What factors have contributed to the increase in maternal mortality rates during the pandemic?
-Factors contributing to the increase include increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, higher maternal age, chronic conditions like hypertension, and social determinants of health such as economic and housing security.
What is the role of social determinants of health in maternal mortality rates?
-Social determinants of health, which can differ by race and ethnicity, play a significant role in maternal mortality rates. Historical trauma and racism, including structural racism, affect the distribution of these social determinants and contribute to disparities in maternal health.
Why are even educated Black women at a higher risk of pregnancy-related deaths compared to non-Hispanic White women with a college degree?
-The experience of being Black in America, including the impact of structural racism and social determinants of health, drives these disparities, indicating that education alone is not protective against pregnancy-related complications and deaths.
What was the trend in infant mortality rates during the first year of the pandemic?
-While the overall rate of infant deaths was at record lows, there was a spike in deaths of Black infants during the first year of the pandemic.
What is a possible indirect effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on infant mortality rates?
-Indirect effects of the pandemic on infant mortality rates could include exacerbation of housing and food insecurity, unemployment, changes in healthcare access, and disruptions to safe sleeping environments, potentially leading to increased risk of sudden unexpected infant deaths.
Why was the increase in sudden unexpected infant deaths among non-Hispanic Black infants during the pandemic surprising?
-The increase was surprising because the overall rate of sudden unexpected infant deaths between 2015 and 2020 did not change, and the highest rates were typically observed among American Indian and Alaskan Native infants, not non-Hispanic Black infants.
What are the potential factors that could have contributed to the increased risk for sudden unexpected infant deaths among Black infants?
-Potential factors include the exacerbation of social determinants of health due to the pandemic, such as housing instability and changes in childcare arrangements, which could have led to riskier sleeping environments for infants.
How does the CDC plan to further investigate the increased infant mortality rates among Black infants?
-The CDC plans to continue monitoring the data to determine if the spike observed in 2020 is sustained or an artifact. They will also utilize other data sources and conduct research to understand the contributing factors to the increase.
What is the significance of the data on maternal and infant mortality rates in highlighting broader health issues?
-The data serves as a 'canary in the coal mine,' indicating that there are underlying social and health issues that need more attention. It underscores the need to understand and address the contributing factors to these alarming trends.
What steps can be taken to address the racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates?
-Addressing racial disparities requires acknowledging and addressing structural racism and its impact on social determinants of health. This includes improving the quality of care, particularly in facilities serving Black women, and ensuring equitable access to economic and housing security.
Outlines
📊 Maternal Mortality Rates in America: Racial Disparities and Pandemic Impact
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released two reports on the alarming trends in maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States, highlighting significant racial disparities. The maternal mortality rate has risen sharply, with a national average of 17 deaths per 100,000 births in 2018 increasing to nearly 33,000 by 2021. Black mothers have been disproportionately affected, with a death rate more than double the national average at almost 70 deaths per 100,000 births. Factors contributing to this trend include increased maternal age, chronic conditions like hypertension, and social determinants of health such as economic and housing security. The pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with indirect effects such as increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness and changes in healthcare access potentially contributing to the rise in mortality rates. Historical trauma and structural racism are also acknowledged as playing a role in these disparities.
📈 Infant Mortality Rates: Unexpected Spikes and Racial Disparity Among Non-Hispanic Black Infants
The second dataset from the CDC addresses infant mortality, specifically focusing on sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID). While the overall rate of infant deaths is at a record low, there was a surprising spike in deaths among non-Hispanic Black infants during the pandemic. The rate of SUID among this group increased, with non-Hispanic Black infants experiencing the highest rate of SUID in 2020, followed by American Indian and Alaskan Native infants. The reasons behind this spike are not yet fully understood, but potential indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as housing instability, changes in childcare arrangements, and lack of access to safe sleeping environments, are suspected to have played a role. The CDC is committed to continued monitoring and research to understand the contributing factors and address the observed increase in infant mortality rates.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Maternal Mortality
💡CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
💡Racial Divides
💡Pandemic
💡Social Determinants of Health
💡Hypertension
💡Infant Mortality
💡Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID)
💡
💡Structural Racism
💡Historical Trauma
💡Economic Security
💡Housing Security
Highlights
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released two new reports about alarming trends in mortality rates for mothers and babies in America, including stark racial divides.
New mothers in the U.S. are dying at higher rates than mothers in any other industrialized nation, with the situation worsening during the pandemic.
In 2018, the maternal mortality rate in America was 17 deaths per 100,000 births, which increased to almost 33 deaths per 100,000 by 2021.
The maternal mortality rate for Black mothers is more than double the national average, with almost 70 deaths per 100,000 births.
Shawna Coxe, Associate Director for Science and Reproductive Health at the CDC, discusses the findings, highlighting the increase in severe illness from COVID-19 as a contributing factor.
Maternal age, chronic conditions like hypertension, and social determinants of health such as economic and housing security are factors contributing to the increase in maternal deaths.
The data indicates that social and health factors brought on by the pandemic are related to the increase in maternal deaths, not just direct COVID-19 deaths.
Long-standing disparities in pregnancy-related deaths exist between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women, with social determinants of health differing by race and ethnicity.
Historical trauma and racism, including structural racism, play a part in the distribution of social determinants of health and contribute to disparities.
Even non-Hispanic Black women with a college degree are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than non-Hispanic White women with the same level of education.
The overall rate of infant deaths is at record lows, but there was a spike in deaths of Black infants during the first year of the pandemic.
The sudden unexpected infant death rate among non-Hispanic Black infants increased, with the highest rate observed in 2020.
The spike in infant mortality among non-Hispanic Black infants was surprising and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are suspected as contributing factors.
COVID-19 mitigation efforts disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority communities, impacting factors like housing and food security, healthcare access, and childcare.
Changes in sleeping arrangements due to housing instability during the pandemic may have put infants in riskier environments, potentially contributing to the increase in sudden unexpected infant deaths.
The CDC will continue to monitor the data to determine if the spike in infant mortality among non-Hispanic Black infants is sustained or an artifact in the data.
Further research and surveillance are needed to understand the factors driving the increase in infant mortality and maternal deaths, especially among Black mothers and infants.
Transcripts
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