Black babies in Wisconsin continue to be three times more likely to die before their first birthdays than white babies, and a new report points to two key factors: low birthweight and sudden unexpected infant deaths, which can involve unsafe sleep arrangements.
The Black infant mortality rate was 13.2 per 1,000 births in 2019-2021, compared to 4.4 per 1,000 for white babies and 5.7 per 1,000 overall, the state Department of Health Services said Thursday.
A birthweight of 5.5 pounds or less, which was nearly three times more common for Black babies than white babies, can stem from many factors, including stress from systemic racism, said Dr. Jasmine Zapata, the agency’s chief medical officer for community health promotion.
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New safe sleep guidelines last year from the American Academy of Pediatrics say babies should sleep by themselves on their backs on flat surfaces without soft bedding. But the guidelines also acknowledge that parents from some cultural groups prefer to share a bed with babies and note the higher risks of bed-sharing.
Zapata said DHS is focusing funding of maternal and infant health programs on efforts to reduce low birthweight and sudden unexpected infant deaths. Those factors were also found to be key contributors to infant mortality among American Indians, for which the rate was 1.5 times higher than for whites.
“If we can make an impact in those two areas, that will really help us decrease inequities,” Zapata said.
She called for the state Legislature to expand funding for related programs and to extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers to a year after birth, which is proposed in a bill before lawmakers. Two years ago, the Legislature approved extending the coverage from 60 days to 90 days.
DHS in October said it was directing $16 million in federal funding to child health equity initiatives, such as boosting food security, safe sleep, breastfeeding support and training of doulas, or birth coaches.
In Dane County, where the Black infant mortality rate remains nearly three times higher than for whites, more than 400 Black women have participated in ConnectRx Wisconsin, a care coordination program launched a year ago by the Dane County Health Council and the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness.
Pregnant women are screened at clinics for socioeconomic needs — such as housing, mental health, transportation and employment — and connected with nonprofits that provide related services.
Among 111 pregnant Black women referred to doulas through the program as of early April, 21 had delivered, officials said. Among them, 90% went to full gestational age, 86% had a healthy birth weight and 73% required no cesarean delivery or other complex care, said Gabe Doyle, chief health initiatives officer for the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness.
Overall, ConnectRx has supported 85 healthy births, officials said.
