Recent data reveals a decline in Alabama’s overall infant mortality rate over the past years, yet the state continues to grapple with rates surpassing the national average, exacerbated by concerning racial disparities in infant deaths.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), the state’s infant mortality rate stood at 6.7 per 1,000 live births in 2022, marking a decrease from 7.6 per 1,000 in 2021. However, this figure remains notably higher than the national average of 5.6.
Infant mortality, as defined by the report, encompasses deaths occurring within the first year after birth.
Addressing an ADPH state committee board meeting, Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer, acknowledged the positive strides made by perinatal healthcare practitioners, while underscoring the necessity for ongoing dialogue among board members and state officials to further mitigate infant mortality rates.
“We submitted a lot of ideas to them, and then we learned in the State of the State that [Gov. Kay Ivey] proposed funding for that. We’re very excited about that, and we’re working very hard on trying to do that,” Harris remarked during the meeting.
Governor Ivey, in her State of the State address on Feb. 6, announced a pioneering initiative aimed at conducting health assessments for pregnant individuals at nine county health departments situated in underserved regions.
“Folks, there is nothing more important than our Alabama families, and we must come together to find common ground on meaningful ways to support them,” Ivey emphasized in her speech.
Harris disclosed that he had previously presented novel strategies to Ivey for enhancing prenatal care through county health departments, preceding her State of the State address.
The forthcoming report is slated for presentation to the Legislature. In a letter penned by Harris, dated Jan. 10, 2024, he underscored the imperative for the state to confront racial disparities and substandard health outcomes in maternal and infant healthcare.
In 2022, the infant mortality rate among Black infants in Alabama surged to 12.4 per 1,000 live births, marking an escalation from 11 deaths per 1,000 in 2018. Conversely, the mortality rate among white infants in 2022 hit a historic low of 4.3 per 1,000.
Despite constituting 69.8% of births in Alabama, white infants accounted for 44.5% of deaths, while Black infants, comprising 28% of births, represented 51.4% of deaths.
Harris emphasized the interconnectedness of maternal and infant health, stressing the urgency to address underlying determinants such as poverty, educational attainment, and healthcare access.
“Despite advances in healthcare, the black infant mortality rate is consistently twice the rate for white mothers,” Harris asserted in the January letter.
Counties situated in the Black Belt region reported markedly elevated rates of infant mortality, surpassing the state average. Perry County recorded an alarming infant mortality rate of 20.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, with Pickens, Sumter, Perry, Conecuh, and Butler counties following suit, each reporting rates ranging between 15.1 and 15.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Many medical facilities in the Black Belt lack labor and delivery units, necessitating expectant mothers to travel considerable distances for childbirth.
According to a 2022 report by the March of Dimes, 25 counties in Alabama are designated as maternity deserts, devoid of obstetrics services or accessible obstetricians for residents. An additional 21 counties are classified as areas with limited access to maternity care.
The report identified birth defects as the foremost cause of infant mortality in the state, accounting for 69 cases in 2022, followed by sudden unexplained death with 47 cases and preterm birth and low birth weight with 38 cases.
“With the purpose to improve, promote, and protect health, it is essential that we address the factors that contribute to racial disparities and poor health outcomes in mothers and infants,” Harris reiterated in the letter.
