Understanding Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Infant Mortality Rates

Racial and ethnic disparities in health have generated increasing attention and concern in the past few years (1,2). One of the largest disparities found in health research is racial and ethnic differences in infant mortality (1,2). Disparities in U.S. infant mortality have been apparent since these data began to be collected more than 100 years ago (3). These disparities have persisted and even increased over time, suggesting that not all racial and ethnic groups have benefited equally from social and medical advances (1,4,5). This report examines racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality rates in the United States with a particular focus on explaining the high infant mortality rates for non-Hispanic black, American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN), and Puerto Rican women. Two key components of infant mortality are analyzed: gestational age-specific infant mortality rates, and the distribution of births by gestational age. Differences by cause of death are also examined.