opinion
Infant Mortality Month Sees No Improvement
W
orldwide the Inter -
national Center for
Traditional Childbearing
(ICTC), is participating in
September Infant Mortality
Awareness Month with the goal of
reducing infant mortality for every
family.
Please
join
the
International
Center
for
Traditional Childbearing (ICTC),
in observing September
Infant
Mortality
Awareness Month by
sponsoring a birthday
commemorative called
“No First Birthday”.
You can observe “No
First Birthday” by plac-
ing and lighting 1 candle
in a large sheet cake for
each baby who died
before age 1 in your state or com-
munity. In their memory, we will
call out 1 name per candle blown
out. This is in recognition of all
babies who had “No First
Birthday” due to infant mortality
causes. In place of the happy
birthday song, we will have a
moment of silence/reflection. The
cake is not to be eaten but will
receive a burial instead. However,
other food will be available to
share. Parents are welcome to tell
their story of the loss of their baby,
and Unnatural Causes: When the
Bough Breaks DVD, will be
shown followed by discussion on
solutions to end infant mortality.
Please contact ICTC for the “No
c hILDBEarINg t raDItIoN
Shafia M. Monroe
First Birthday” template.
Infant mortality is the death of a
baby, who dies before reaching its’
first year birthday. It’s devastating
to the family and their community.
live births. This is almost two and
half times higher for black babies.
Infant mortality is deeper than just
medical factors, it is a societal
problem reflecting the health of a
nation. Infant mortality is a spiri-
tual and ethical social problem as
well, that results in medical conse-
quences for the infant, leading to
its death.
In 2005, 46
percent of the
black infant
mortality rate
was related to
preterm birth.
Preterm birth
is tied to
stress, pover-
ty, poor nutri-
tion,
poor
breastfeeding rates, lack of quality
health care, community-based
midwives and doulas.
As
mid-
wives, doulas
and
birth
workers we
can strength-
en our resolve
to
reduce
infant mortal-
ity through
preconception health, access to
early and culturally appropriate
prenatal care, long term breast-
feeding, father support groups,
home visits, and advocating for
social justice. Midwives can be
the voice to challenge the societal
... infant mortality rate in the
African American/ black
community has remained two and
half times higher than the national
average ...
Their loss is our loss. There are
many medical reasons for infant
mortality, such as congenital
abnormalities, premature birth,
low birth weight, Sudden
Unexplained Infants Deaths,
(SUID), accidents, and pregnancy
related maternal complications.
The USA infant mortality rate in
the African American/black com-
munity has remained two and half
times higher than the national
average for decades and is climb-
ing again.
In 2006 the African American
infant mortality rate was 12.9 per
1,000 live births while the white
infant mortality rate was 5.57 per
inequities that contribute to poor
birth outcomes; such as poverty,
toxic environments, racial profil-
ing, food deserts and racism
induced stress. All of these deter-
minants have been proven to con-
tribute to infant mortality in the
black
community.
1. “Neonatologists James Collins
and Richard David believe that
African American women are at
increased risk during pregnancy,
not because of something innate to
their biology, but because of the
cumulative impact of racism they
experience over their lifetime - an
impact that can outweigh even the
benefits of higher social and class
status”.
According to the CDC, infant
mortality (death of a child before
one
year
of
age)
is “associated with a variety of
factors such as maternal health,
example of the Egyptian mid-
wives. They refused to racially
profile the Hebrews and would not
participate in killing their first
born. Birth justice, is a byproduct
of social justice. Birth justice for
black women must address racial
profiling, health inequities, and
human right issues. It includes the
elimination of easy access to
drugs, guns and gang violence in
the black community, fair employ-
ment opportunities, housing, bet-
ter transportation systems facili-
tating pregnant and new mothers
accessing culturally competent
care, and increasing the number of
black midwives, doulas and heal-
ers.
Infant Mortality Awareness
Month, calls midwives, doulas and
birth workers to educate them-
selves and others on the social
determinants of infant mortality.
Join ICTC to help bring
awareness and solutions to
reducing infant mortality.
Please join the International
Center for Traditional Child -
bearing (ICTC), in observing
September Infant Mortality
Awareness Month by spon-
soring a birthday commemo-
rative, called “No First Birthday”.
Please contact ICTC if you want
to be a part of the planning. We
will host the event in the last week
of September at the new ICTC
site, 3821 NE MLK Jr. Blvd,
97212.
it is a societal problem reflecting
the health of a nation. Infant
mortality is a spiritual and ethical
social problem as well ...
quality and access to medical care,
socioeconomic conditions, and
public
health
practices’
’(www.cdc.gov).
As midwives, doulas and heal-
ers, we must be the voice for
social justice; and follow the
September 7, 2011 The Portland Skanner page 5