According to a newly released study from the Centers for Disease Control, the number of sudden unexpected infant deaths in the United States has remained fairly constant but continues to plague the non-Hispanic Black community at a much higher rate.
That is also true in Montgomery County, according to Rebecca Smith, senior administrator of the Department of Health and Human Services’ child health program.
Between 2011 and 2020, 44% of all sudden unknown infant death cases occurred to Blacks while 8% of the cases were among whites.
“It is disproportionally high. The disparity is high in Montgomery County,” she said, noting there are fewer Black residents than whites in the county.
In 2021, 43% of all fetal and infant deaths, including sudden deaths and all other causes, occurred in the Non-Hispanic Black population although that population only comprises 18.6% of the county’s population, Smith said.
There is no one reason for this, but many of the same causes for health disparities among Blacks and whites are involved, including lower income, higher chances of living in areas with polluted air and lack of access to prenatal and well childcare.
The county has a state-funded program called Babies Born Healthy. DHHS employees visit these families and teach them to put their babies to bed on their backs and not bring them into bed with adults.
If the employees notice that the family doesn’t have a proper crib, a portable one is supplied to them with these guidelines imprinted on, Smith said.
“The deaths we see are mostly cosleeping,” she said. A baby can suffocate when accidently shoved under a pillow, she noted. Overworked and over stressed families with multiple children may bring a screaming baby into bed with them, but that is not a good idea, she said.
There were 73.5 infant deaths per 100,000 live births in Montgomery County between 2015 and 2019, according to the state’s most recent statistics. About 57% of those cases took the lives of infant non-Hispanic Blacks and 33% involved non-Hispanic whites.
The number of babies younger than one year who die suddenly in Maryland is less than the national average, which is 91.7 deaths for every 100,000 live births.
The CDC’s study noted the number of Black families affected rose between 2019 and 2020, which was called “concerning,” since the disparity already was greater among Blacks than whites.
Doctors don’t know what causes SIDS. Researchers are studying how well the brain controls breathing, heart rate and rhythm and temperature during the first few months of life.
Some factors that are connected to mothers whose babies died before their first year include whether she is younger than 20 years, smokes or vapes, uses drugs or alcohol and has not had prenatal care. SIDS is more likely to occur if a baby is premature or a twin or triplet.
The African American Health Program, located in Rockville, tries to reduce Black infant mortality through SMILE – Start More Infants Living Equally. Program.
It offers childbirth and breastfeeding education classes, case management and help with support and referrals.
