"When I became pregnant, I entered the African American Health Program's S.M.I.L.E. program. The program gave me the chance to meet every week with a nurse, and we discussed everything I could do to make sure that Michael was born healthy. After Michael's birth, I still had weekly home meetings with my nurse. She answered all of my questions - about breast feeding, sleeping and all the things new mothers worry about. With AAHP, I feel like I am making the right choices - and I can see the results every day in Michael."

Facts on Infant Mortality

  • A disproportionately high infant mortality rate exists across all social and economic levels of the African American population.
  • Black women are two times more likely than white and Hispanic women to experience infant mortality in the first year of their child's life.
  • Black women are three times more likely to experience infant mortality as a result of low birth weight, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and maternal complications in pregnancy.
  • Black women are four times more likely to experience infant death related to cord and placental complications.

Causes of Premature Deliveries and Low Birth Weight

The causes of premature and low birth weight infants in the African American community are multi-leveled and complex. Some of the causes include:

  • Stress, including inadequate housing, financial burdens, and physical/emotional abuse
  • History of premature delivery/low birth weight
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Minimal social support
  • Late or no prenatal care
  • Substance abuse
  • Smoking
  • Advanced maternal age
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Cord/placental complications
  • Maternal complications such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and sexually transmitted diseases