Infant mortality, poverty and reproductive justice

Infant mortality is a vital indicator of the overall health of a society. Judged by this metric, the United States (U.S.) has much room for improvement. Despite the highest health care spending of all industrialized countries,¹ the U.S. ranks first in neonatal and infant as well as maternal mortality compared to the other top 10 high-income countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). At 4.0 and 5.8 deaths per 1000 live births, the U.S. neonatal and infant mortality rates are 50% higher than the other OECD nations. Even more alarming is the U.S. maternal mortality rate of 26.4 deaths/100,000 live births, over three times more than the OECD average of 8.4.¹

The health of infants is inextricably linked to the health of mothers. Barriers for women to have access to comprehensive health services, including prenatal care, will have negative effects on infant mortality, especially for women with limited financial means. Unplanned pregnancies are a key mechanism by which women are differentially subjected to poverty conditions, which in turn can lead to higher risk for infant mortality.³ Women who practice family planning can avoid high-risk births, reducing their chances of having a baby who will die in infancy. Spacing pregnancies also improves maternal and child health.³ To break the cycle of poverty and infant/maternal mortality, women need reproductive justice with more choices as well as resources to optimize their socioeconomic status (e.g. addressing food and housing insecurity).

Log in or create a free account to read this content

Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com

Access through your institution

or

Sign in or create an account

Continue with Google

Continue with ORCiD