Alabama infant mortality rate drops, but racial disparities persist • Alabama Reflector

Alabama’s Infant Mortality Rate Continues Downward Trend, but Challenges Remain

Alabama’s infant mortality rate has shown a positive trend in 2022, despite a national increase in infant deaths for the first time in nearly a decade, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
2. Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

However, Alabama’s infant mortality rate of 6.58 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 remains higher than the national average, which increased from 5.44 deaths in 2021 to 5.61. Racial disparities persist, with Black infant mortality nearly three times higher than white infant mortality.

Dr. Wes Stubblefield, the district medical officer at the Alabama Department of Public Health and a pediatrician, stated that while there have been improvements in infant mortality, disparities still exist. The department is actively monitoring the data to address these disparities.

Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Program

• Voluntary maternal interviews
• Improvement of women, infants, and families’ health
• Review of case summaries
• Identification of issues
• Recommendation of community changes

The FIMR Program, an initiative by the Alabama Department of Public Health, conducts voluntary maternal interviews to improve the health of women, infants, and families. The program reviews case summaries, identifies issues, and recommends community changes. Data suggests that these programs could be helping address maternal health disparities.

While Alabama’s progress is positive, the increase in the national average suggests ongoing challenges.

National Trends

According to the CDC report, the overall number of infant deaths in the U.S. rose by 3% from 19,928 in 2021 to 20,577 in 2022. The neonatal mortality rate (deaths of infants less than 28 days old) saw a 3% increase, while the postneonatal mortality rate (deaths of infants 28 days to less than one year old) increased by 4%.

Racial Disparities

Racial disparities in infant mortality persist both nationally and in Alabama. Black infants had the highest mortality rate at 10.90 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 across the nation, followed by American Indian and Alaska Native infants at 9.06.

In Alabama, the infant mortality rate for Black infants was 12.4 per 1,000 live births in 2022, an increase from 11 deaths per 1,000 in 2018. In contrast, the mortality rate for white infants reached an all-time low of 4.3 per 1,000.

These disparities are evident in the data, with white infants accounting for 69.8% of births but only 44.5% of deaths, while Black infants account for 28% of births but 51.4% of deaths.

Challenges in the Black Belt

Counties in the Black Belt region of Alabama have significantly higher rates of infant mortality compared to the state average. Perry County has an infant mortality rate of 20.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, followed by Pickens, Sumter, Conecuh, and Butler counties with rates between 15.1 and 15.6 per 1,000 live births.

Many medical centers in the Black Belt do not have labor and delivery units, forcing expectant mothers to travel long distances to give birth.

Maternity Deserts and Access to Care

According to a 2022 report from the March of Dimes, 25 counties in Alabama are classified as maternity deserts, lacking obstetrics services or available obstetricians. Another 21 counties have low access to maternity care.

Aretha Dix, a rural health care strategist, emphasizes the importance of partnerships between the health care community and rural residents to improve maternal health. Consistent education on overall health, prenatal care, and labor practices, along with efforts to overcome barriers to care access and follow-up, are crucial.

She also highlights the impact of maternity care deserts in the Black Belt, where expectant mothers have to travel long distances to access prenatal care and delivery services. Lack of resources such as transportation and financial constraints further contribute to the challenges faced by these mothers.

Additionally, expectant mothers without an established maternal health relationship may seek care at the emergency room, leading to issues or delays in the delivery process due to incomplete health histories.

Source: alabamareflector.com