Black babies more likely to die in U.S.: study

New York, U.S. | Xinhua | Babies born to black families are more likely to die even if the families are rich, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing a groundbreaking new study of 2 million California births.

“The richest Black mothers and their babies are twice as likely to die as the richest white mothers and their babies,” said the report.

For every 100,000 births, 173 of the babies born to the richest white mothers die before their first birthday and 350 babies born to the poorest white mothers die.

Meanwhile, 437 babies born to the richest Black mothers die and 653 babies born to the poorest Black mothers die.

“The United States is a dangerous place to be a newborn. But it is not equally risky for all babies,” said the report.

Research has repeatedly shown that Black mothers and babies have the worst childbirth outcomes in the United States.

“This study is novel because it’s the first of its size to show how the risks of childbirth vary by both race and parental income, and how Black families, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are disproportionately affected,” said the report.