Thread: Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis

Originally Posted by Minotaur

Those are also factors but more related to lower socio economic groups which would include all races. That doesn't explain the numbers crossing all socio economic segments. The article speaks to this: "For black women, something about growing up in America seems to be bad for your baby’s birth weight." Lower birth weight being a serious condition. I suspect they assume that in higher income brackets it shows there is more at play than just nutrition or lifestyle. Stress is a pretty good place to start looking due to that reality of it impacting all segments. Birth weight is a big clue imo if it turns out to be the culprit.

They need to drill down on mother's lifestyle and eating, drinking, smoking, drug habits . Stress may be a factor, blaming it on racism is a self imposed issue. Higher income brackets doesn't determine lifestyle and nutrition. Foolish behavior cuts across all social strata. Racism is a stretch. Personal decisions matter.

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

If the pregnatn mother suffers tracism, then her udborn does too. When she lives in a society with poor housing, jobs or even dietary needs let alone acces to good quality medical care, then her unborn is affected. If the mother herself was carried by HER mother in similar circumstances.... and so it goes.

Pregnant women in the US have great healthcare coverage. They become automatically eligible for Medicaid regardless of their income status if they are uninsured or under insured. Racism has little impact on infant mortality. I worked many, many years in the inner city and have seen my share of pregnant black women and most of it is lifestyle and nutrition. They don't experience racism in their own neighborhoods and their environments offer more stress than most of us could imagine. The violence alone in these neighborhoods is extreme and causes stress. When you consider that most are single parent households adds financial stress as well. Most of what I see is very poor diet consisting of fast food and obesity. The constant fighting with the absent father of the baby, lack of child support, and family drama adds a whole lot of stress to these women.

Medicaid for Pregnant Women

Originally Posted by Minotaur

It is not surprising to me that anyone living in systemic racism has impact from birth to old age. The issue is to recognize how damaging racism really is. For those not understanding impact it will be harder to accept the potential impact of a racism they don't recognize. That is an issue imo. Imagine having children and being afraid that they are going to be killed by law enforcement. Imagine job rejections that are questionable. Imagine poor treatment or service with all the appearance of racism in the handling. Many turn a blind eye to that. Just the fact that so many attack BLM without recognizing the cause and frown on football players taking a knee for black lives lost says all that needs to be said. Stress kills.

Pregnancies require less stress during each stage.

Obviously, racism is a source of huge, unremitting stress. But then, victims would have a greater risk of stress-related illnesses and injuries.

Hard to believe these types of illnesses and injuries are proving fatal among black women and their infants.

Damaging, yes. But fatal?

Originally Posted by Madeline

Obviously, racism is a source of huge, unremitting stress. But then, victims would have a greater risk of stress-related illnesses and injuries.

Hard to believe these types of illnesses and injuries are proving fatal among black women and their infants.

Damaging, yes. But fatal?

Mothers's poor decisions & choices during pregnancy. Racism......BS.

Originally Posted by labrea

My guess is that in the mid 1800s good prenatal care wasn't available for black women, or white women either.

Ms. Labrea,

So true. I heard they din't know nothin' bout birthing no babies back then.

I'm not sure why comparing racism today against racism in 1850 makes any sense. I'm pretty sure that neonatal mortality was much worse in 1850 for EVERYONE, particularly slaves, but what does that fact tell us?

Originally Posted by HCProf

Pregnant women in the US have great healthcare coverage. They become automatically eligible for Medicaid regardless of their income status if they are uninsured or under insured. Racism has little impact on infant mortality. I worked many, many years in the inner city and have seen my share of pregnant black women and most of it is lifestyle and nutrition. They don't experience racism in their own neighborhoods and their environments offer more stress than most of us could imagine. The violence alone in these neighborhoods is extreme and causes stress. When you consider that most are single parent households adds financial stress as well. Most of what I see is very poor diet consisting of fast food and obesity. The constant fighting with the absent father of the baby, lack of child support, and family drama adds a whole lot of stress to these women.

Medicaid for Pregnant Women

The very fact that they have "their own neighbourhoods" is an indicator of racism in action.

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

The very fact that they have "their own neighbourhoods" is an indicator of racism in action.

And I'm pretty sure the statistics were normed to take SES into account. I don't think middle class black women live in "their own neighborhoods."

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

The very fact that they have "their own neighbourhoods" is an indicator of racism in action.

No it isn't...we all have our own neighborhoods, it is where we live. That was the point. The whole premise of this article is absurd, medically. Being subjected to racism does not increase infant mortality rates, especially as far back as the OP article suggests. This is virtue signaling.

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

The very fact that they have "their own neighbourhoods" is an indicator of racism in action.

Explain yourself. Our government does all it can to move people into other people's neighborhoods. Racism....what a crutch to explain away everything.