County launches new health campaign
Health officals aim to lower the death rate of Black women, infants during maternity
STOCKTON — San Joaquin County Public Health Services launched a new campaign this week aimed at slowing an alarming death rate among Black mothers and their infants due to pregnancy or delivery complications.
Spearheaded by public health’s Perinatal Equity Initiative and dozens of partners from throughout the community, “Rally Around Our Sisters” is a countywide campaign intended to raise awareness of the health-related inequities facing Black and African American women, leading to maternal and infant deaths.
“There's nothing more lifechanging than the birth of a baby. But Black and African American women and infants are dying at a much higher rate than other racial groups,” Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer, said in media statement Monday.
“Many of these deaths are preventable and it has to stop,” she said. “This campaign is about the community coming together or rallying together, in support of Black and African American mothers to improve health outcomes for themselves and their babies.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black and African American infants die at twice the rate of White infants and triple the rate of Asian infants.
Pre-term birth is the dominant cause of infant mortality among Black and African American infants, according to the CDC, and is nearly 50% higher than the
rate among women of other ethnicities.
The maternal mortality rate for Black and African Americans in California is nearly three times higher than the rate of white women, the CDC said.
“According to recent data for San Joaquin County, an average of 54% of pregnant and parenting Black and African American mothers are single, separated, widowed, or divorced compared to an average of nearly 16% of pregnant or parenting White mothers,” PEI Coordinator Reanna Wyatt said the media statement.
Factors that negatively impact pregnancy and lead to premature births, as well as infant and maternal deaths in Black and African American mothers in San Joaquin County include repeated incidents of racism, fewer financial resources and Inadequate prenatal care, county public health said.
Lack of proper nutrition, mental distress from personal and external sources and substance abuse are also factors, according to county public health.
“Institutional racism and social determinants of health often lead to chronic stress in Black and African American mothers. Data clearly indicates the critical need for this program,” Park said.
In addition, Rally Around our Sisters will support women and infants by promoting services that complement county public health’s Black Infant Health Program, including social support, case management services, and assistance with referrals for Black and African American pregnant and women and those who are already mothers. Based on input from the PEI Community Advisory Board, the program will also focus on two additional interventions to improve birth outcomes and reduce maternal deaths — SistaCoach, a perinatal life coach-personal advocate program, and Passport to Fatherhood, a program offering workshops, case management, counseling and other services for dads-to-be and those who are already fathers.
“Black moms and babies deserve the same chance to survive and thrive,” PEI Community Advisory Board member Lacresia Hawkins said in the media statement. “But it will take an all-out effort among moms, dads, family, friends, health professionals and the whole community to ensure healthy results for Black and African American mothers and infants.”
For more information about the campaign, visit www.rallyaroundoursisters.org, call 209-468-3004 or follow PHS on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media pages.