LOW BIRTH WEIGHT RATES AS
A DISPARITY IN BLACKS
COMPARED TO THE WHITE
POPULATION
Maybelline Acquaye
Hamilton College
Summer Enrichment Program 2012
Summer2012
University of Massachusetts Medical School
1
Low Birth Weight
2
Week
30
weeks
31
weeks
32
weeks
33
weeks
34
weeks
35
weeks
36
weeks
37
weeks
38
weeks
39
weeks
40
weeks
41
weeks
42
weeks
lgth.
15.71
inches
16.18
inches
16.69
inches
17.20
inches
17.72
inches
18.19
inches
18.66
inches
19.13
inches
19.61
inches
19.96
inches
20.16
inches
20.35
inches
20.28
inches
lb
2.91
pounds
3.31
pounds
3.75
pounds
4.23
pounds
4.73
pounds
5.25
pounds
5.78
pounds
6.30
pounds
6.80
pounds
7.25
pounds
7.63
pounds
7.93
pounds
8.12
pounds
lgth.
lb.
39.9 cm 1319
grams
41.1 cm 1502
grams
42.4 cm 1702
grams
43.7 cm 1918
grams
45 cm
2146
grams
46.2 cm 2383
grams
47.4 cm 2622
grams
48.6 cm 2859
grams
49.8 cm 3083
grams
50.7 cm 3288
grams
51.2 cm 3462
grams
51.7 cm 3597
grams
51.5 cm 3685
grams



Also known as Uterine
Growth Retardation
(UGR)
low birth weight occurs
when the fetus grows
abnormally slow.
Often classified by the
infant’s measurements
and labeled as either
low or very low birth
weight.
("Babycenter," 2012)
How to classify Low Birth Weight

Low birth weight
infants range from 5.5
pounds at birth to less
than 2,500 grams.

Very low birth weight
infants range from 3.3
pounds at birth to less
than 1500 grams.
("Low birth weight," 2002)
3
What is a Disparity?
4

A disparity is classified
by the National
Institute as the
difference in incident,
prevalence, mortality
and burden of disease
and other adverse
health conditions that
exist among specific
population groups in the
united States (Satcher,
2006).
Low birth weight as a Disparity



In Massachusetts black women give birth to babies
with low birth weight or very low birth at a higher
rate than white women.
Massachusetts has a population made up of 80.2%
whites and 6.6% blacks.
The percent of black babies born with low birth
weight is 10.9% compared to the general
population.
("Us census bureau," 2012
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Graph- Percent of Low Birth Weight
Births
6

Births of Low Birthweight as a Percent of All Births by Race/Ethnicity, 2009 View 50-State Comparison
% MA
% US
Non-Hispanic White
7.2%
7.2%
Non-Hispanic Black
10.9%
13.6%
Hispanic
8.6%
6.9%
Total
7.8%
8.2%
Massachusetts: Births of Low Birthweight as a Percent of All Births by
Race/Ethnicity, 2009
Percentage of women who
give birth to children with
low birth weights by
ethnicity.
("Massachusetts: Births," 2009)
Graph- Prevalence of Low Birth
Weight by Race Ethnicity
20
Prevalence of Low Birth Weight*
by Race and Ethnicity
15
Percentage
10
5
0
White
Black
Hispanic
American
Indian
Asian
Total
How often children with low birth weights
born to mothers of a certain ethnicity. ("Race/hispanic ethnicity report," 2010
7
Graph-Massachusetts Total of Low or
Very Low Birth Rate Births
Area 3-Year Count Area Percent
State Percent
Low birth weight (less than 2500 grams/5.5 lbs.
White Non-Hispanic
Black Non-Hispanic
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
11,091
2,199
2,699
1,438
7.2
11
8.2
8.2
7.2
11
8.2
8.2
1.1
2.5
1.6
1.1
1
1.1
2.5
1.6
1.1
1
Very low birth weight (less than 1500 grams/3.3 lbs.
White Non-Hispanic
Black Non-Hispanic
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
1,736
509
532
190
In the area how which race is giving birth primarily to low birth
weight children and who is giving birth to very low birth weight
children.
("Massachusetts: Births," 2009)
8
What can Cause Low birth Weight?








Many factors
Socio-economic status
race
Complex interaction involving
hormones
Blood circulatory and
efficiency of placenta
General health and nutrition
of mother
Other diseases such as:
hypertension, chronic renal
disorder, sickle cell
Multiple births
("Growth retardation (low," 2009)
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Graph-Children Born to One Mother
Number of children
being born to one
mother.
Area 3-Year Count Area Percent State Percent
Parity: 3 or more children
White Non-Hispanic
Black Non-Hispanic
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
28,551
5,426
8,912
2,251
18.5
27.1
27.2
12.8
18.5
27.1
27.2
12.8
("Massachusetts: Births," 2009)
10
Graph- Mother’s National Origin
Area 3-Year Count Area Percent State Percent
Mother Non-US born
White Non-Hispanic
Black Non-Hispanic

19,212
10,259
12.5
51.2
12.5
51.2
Percentage of mothers
in Massachusetts who
are not born in the US.
("Massachusetts: Births," 2009)
11
Other Proposed Factors!
Racial and Gender Differences
A study by Dr. Steven B. Morse et al.
race and gender were factors that contributed to
low birth weight in infants. The study also lined
these attributes to their survival rate within a
year.

Role of Maternal Exposure to Racial
Discrimination
A study by Dr. James W. Collins et
al. found that high exposure to racial
discrimination of the mother had an affect on
infant birth weight.


Influence of Paternal Characteristics on
Risk of Low Birth Weight
A study by doctor Jennifer Parker and
Kenneth Schoendorf found that
paternal race and education level when
correlated with information
concerning maternal race and
education level changed the risk of
giving birth to low birth rate infants.
("Influence of paternal," 2012) ("Very low birthweight," 2004) ("Racial and gender," 2006)
12
Major Risks








("Growth retardation (low," 2009)
Hormonal factors in mother
Demographic characteristics
Medical risks identified before or
during pregnancy
Behavioral and environmental
factors
Health care associated
(inadequate prenatal care)
Stress
Uterine irritable
Inadequate plasma volume
expansion
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14
Primary Cause sited for Women of
Color





Delay in initiating
prenatal health
Smoking
Weight of mother
Distribution of origin
Mother’s obstetrics
history
("Growth retardation (low," 2009)
Low Birth Rate May Results in…





Chromosomal disorders
Chronic fetal infections such a: congenital rubella
Syphilis
Radiation injury
DEATH (Infant Mortality)
("Growth retardation (low," 2009)
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Prevention
Have regular check ups
 Eat balanced diet
 Consume sufficient vitamins
nutrients calories and minerals
 Gain a good amount of
weight
 Stop smoking
 No alcohol

("Growth retardation (low," 2009)
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How to Resolve the Disparity
17


Programs informing
mothers of risks and
consequences.
Change in insurance
procedure at
pregnancy.
("Food & nutrition," 2010)
18
QUESTIONS?
References

Babycenter. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/average-fetal-length-weight-chart

(2012). Influence of paternal characteristics on the risk of low birth weight. Oxford Journal, 136(4), 399-407.
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kff.org, State health facts. (2009). Massachusetts: Births. Retrieved from Kaiser Heath facts website:
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?cat=2&sub=11&rgn=23
(2002). Low birth weight. the Journal of American Medical Association, 287(2), 270. Retrieved from http://jama.jamanetwork.com
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition Nutrition Division, PREGNANCY NUTRITION
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM. (2009). Pregnancy data report. Retrieved from CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION (CDC) / MASSACHUSETTS WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC) NUTRITION PROGRAM website:
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/wic/pnss-report.pdf
Mass.gov, Health and Human Services. (2010).Race/hispanic ethnicity report - health risk factors. Retrieved from Commonwealth of
Massachusetts website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/researcher/community-health/masschip/topics/health-risk-factors-racehispanicethnicity-report.html
Mass.gov, Health and Human Services. (2010). Food & nutrition. Retrieved from Commonwealth of Massachusetts website:
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/basic-needs/food/
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health. (2009). Growth retardation (low birth weight)Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
National Research Council. "Causes of Low Birthweight." Preventing Low Birthweight: Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies
Press, 1985. 1. Print.
(2006). Racial and gender differences in the viability of extremely low birth weight infants: A population-based study. Official Journal of
the American Academy of Pediatrics, 117(1), 106-112.
U.s. census bureau. (2012, January 17). Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25000.html
(2004). Very low birthweight in african american infants: The role of maternal exposure to interpersonal racial discrimination. American
Journal of Public Health, 94(12), 2132-2138.
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