UnitedHealth Group's philanthropic arm has released a new deep dive into maternal and infant health, underscoring socioeconomic disparities in women's health.
The study found that American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women had maternal mortality rates that were between 2.5 and 4.5 times higher than other ethnic groups. Severe maternal morbidity was, in 2020, two times higher among Black mothers than white mothers and 1.5 times higher among Black mothers compared to Hispanic mothers.
There were also racial disparities identified in low birth weight, according to the study. Low birth weight rates were 2.1 times higher among babies born to Black mothers compared to infants born to white mothers.
There were some bright spots in the data, however. From 2008 to 2011 and 2018 to 2021, there were improvements in infant mortality rates among some racial groups. The study found improvements of 15% among infants born to white mothers, 12% among babies born to Black mothers and 9% for babies born to Hispanic mothers.
Lisa Saul, M.D., national medical director of maternal child health at UnitedHealthcare, said in a press release that analyses like this are critical to developing targeted solutions to key challenges.
"Leveraging public health data and insights is vital to identifying and prioritizing the most critical health challenges to maternal and infant health," Saul said. "Only through united, determined action can we effectively tackle and ensure a healthier future for all."
The study found that infant mortality rates were 2.9 times higher among infants born to Black mothers compared to Asian women, 2.4 times higher than babies born to white mothers and 2.2 times higher than babies born to Hispanic mothers.
Beyond specific maternal health topics, the study also found that among women aged 18 to 44, uninsured rates were 5.8 times higher among those with less than high school education compared to those who had graduated college.