African-American teens are twice as likely to deliver low-birth-weight babies and 1.5 times more likely to have premature babies than whites, according to a new study. The study examined birth outcomes of 1,120 pregnant African-American teens age 17 and younger, living in Baltimore, Md., and compared them to national data on white women. When compared to pregnant black women of all ages in Maryland, the study found the younger group had almost twice the infant mortality rate (2.3 percent vs. 1.3 percent). The study appears in the August 2003 edition of The Journal of Pediatrics. From Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health:
African-American Teen Mothers Have Greater Risk for Low-Birth-Weight and Premature Babies
African-American teens are twice as likely to deliver low-birth-weight babies and 1.5 times more likely to have premature babies than whites, according to a new study. The study examined birth outcomes of 1,120 pregnant African-American teens age 17 and younger, living in Baltimore, Md., and compared them to national data on white women. When compared to pregnant black women of all ages in Maryland, the study found the younger group had almost twice the infant mortality rate (2.3 percent vs. 1.3 percent). The study appears in the August 2003 edition of The Journal of Pediatrics.
“This study shows the need for effective intervention programs to reduce the risk factors contributing to low birth weight and other poor pregnancy outcomes in this population,” said principal investigator Kimberly O’Brien, PhD, associate professor with CHN and the School’s Department of International Health. “In the long run, it costs more to pay for the health care costs associated with low birth weight and premature babies than to focus on prevention. There’s not enough attention given to this vulnerable group.”
Babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and premature babies born before 37 weeks of gestation may face serious health problems and suffer developmental problems later in life. Babies born to teen mothers of all races are at a higher risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, and infant mortality, than those born to older mothers. Previous studies have also documented that black women in general have a higher risk of factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes than white or Hispanic women. Yet, until now, the risk factors for adverse birth outcomes in black teens had not been well studied.
Baltimore led the nation with the highest percentage of teens giving birth, with 22.4 percent in 1998, which was nearly twice the national average of 12.5 percent (source: Population Connection, Kid Friendly Cities Report Card, 2002). CHN investigators identified several characteristics and risk factors related to adverse birth outcomes in the group of urban black teens, including low pre-pregnancy body mass index, inadequate weight gain during pregnancy, inadequate utilization of prenatal care, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, and a history of cigarette smoking.
Nutritional status and weight gain during pregnancy had a significant impact on the risk of preterm birth. Adolescents in the study who were underweight before pregnancy had twice the risk for preterm birth than those of a healthy weight. More than two-thirds of all the study participants did not have appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. Nearly 30 percent gained too little weight and 40 percent gained more than the recommended amount (25-35 pounds for normal-weight women). Those who did not gain adequate weight had three times the risk for preterm birth than those who had appropriate weight gain during pregnancy.
Inadequate utilization of prenatal care was evident in more than half the girls in the study under age 15 and 35 percent of those ages 15-17. Among these girls, the number of preterm births was twice the national rate. Infant birth weight was also affected by risk- taking behaviors during pregnancy. Girls with a history of cigarette smoking had babies who weighed on average 110 grams less than babies born to non-smokers. Rates of cigarette smoking among blacks is typically lower than white adolescents, but is increasing and is of great concern to the study investigators.
Sexually transmitted diseases were also common in this group. During pregnancy, over 20 percent of the adolescents had chlamydia, nearly 7 percent had gonorrhea, and 30 percent had at least one vaginal infection during pregnancy. No single sexually transmitted disease was associated with preterm delivery or low birth weight, but girls who had a vaginal infection during pregnancy had babies with a slightly decreased birth weight.
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For the scientific community that always has to do some type of research on people (often African Americans) and then produce the findings which elicit “Oh My God” results here’s the real truth behind low birth weight babies amongst African American Teen mothers.
We can thank Frito Lay, Coca Cola, and the handy dandy companies that make those soft chewie penny candies, Now or Laters, Starbursts, and all the assorted chocolate candy bars. This is the basic diet of the average pregnant high school African American female. As they head to school, they make the necessary stop at the corner store to buy breakfast. This breakfast consists of a fruity soda and several small bags of Flaming Hots and Doritos. (Oh, I forgot the bag of sunflower seeds).
Lunch comes from the school cafeteria. The nastiest pizza ever made and the mystery meat that they call hamburgers. Add more bags of Flaming Hots and Doritos, ice slushies, chocolate chip cookies and you’ve got a meal.
For some girls, school is the only real meal they’ll get throughout the whole day so understanding what they eat explains why their babies weigh so little. They are not giving the babies or themselves proper nutrition. The vegetables at school come out of a can (loaded with salt) and they really don’t eat veggies or the pathetic lettuce and tomatoes they call a salad. They don’t have parents who make sure they go to the doctor, take their pre-natal vitamins, eat well balanced meals at home, drink plenty of water, and get a good dose of sleep every night. Some don’t find out they are pregnant until the second trimester. Many girls are on their own and often get put out of their “homes” (for a better word or lack thereof). I’ve been a teacher for 17 years and eating behavior hasn’t changed. We often forget they are still kids and they eat junk like most kids eat with the lack of realization that they are pregnant and chips, cookies, and soda will not provide a developing baby with the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals it needs to develop properly. It’s not that African American’s have a higher inclination to health problems either than other races, it’s 400 years of cyclical oppression, poverty, and in the case of these young ladies, a learned helplessness.
It’s so sad. I need comfort food to forget just how bad it really is. Pass the Flaming Hots please.
Why is it always “African Americans are at a higher risk for (____insert disease or ailment here__)”???
What does this mean? Statistically? Or something wrong with African genetics or something that makes us so sickly? I dont’ fucking get it. Does this mean that on average it just happens to be that way or that we have some kind of racial defect that makes us more prone to every god damn disease on the fucking planet? In this case with this article, having higher “infant mortality rates” blah blah blah and having underweight babies, blah blah blah just because we’re black rrrrrright….
Why would you comapre 1,120 pregnant African-American teens age 17 and younger, living in Baltimore, Md., to the national data on white women? That seems like an extremely out of range comparison that would lead to inacurate conclusions.