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The Issue - Infant Mortality

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The infant mortality rate in Guilford County is one of the highest in North Carolina.  Of the 5,883 babies born in Guilford County in 2022, 52 did not make it to their first birthday. The numbers continue to be more alarming for Black babies.

For several decades, Guilford County’s infant mortality rates, and other leading causes of infant death, including late or no prenatal care, pre-term birth, and low birthweight rates have remained higher than the state and national rates, with glaring racial disparities. These rates and racial disparities have had minimal fluctuation over the many years of efforts to address the issue.

In 2022, Guilford County was one of the top five worst of 100 counties in North Carolina. Of the 5,883 babies born in Guilford County in 2022, 52 babies died before their first birthday. The county infant mortality rate was 8.8 per 1,000 births and a little over 20% higher than the North Carolina’s rate of 6.6 and over 30% higher than the national rate of 5.6.

 

Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday and is a key indicator of the overall health of a county, state, region, or nation. The higher the rates of infant mortality, the less healthy a population is overall. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths up to age one per 1,000 live births.

 

More alarmingly, the infant mortality rate for African American infants is 2 to 6 times higher than the rate of White, Hispanic, and Asian infants in Guilford County. In Guilford County in 2022, for instance, the infant mortality rate (IMR) for Black babies was 11.7 (down from 12.3 in 2021), while the IMR for White babies was 5.5. Black infant deaths make up 52% (down from 64% in 2021) of total infant deaths in Guilford County. For every White baby that died before their first birthday, three Black babies died. In addition, Black birthing people at every socioeconomic level have higher rates of infant death than White birthing people who have not completed high school.

 

Distressing trends that have persisted in our community: In 2022*…

5,883

Babies were born in Guilford County

52

Of these babies didn’t celebrate a first birthday

52%

Of these babies were African American from all socioeconomic levels

 

 

There are a variety of factors that create inequities in maternal health, including systemic racism and implicit bias that impact equitable access to high-quality care and improving health outcomes.

Drivers of Infant Mortality

  • Environmental and life stressors, including systemic racism and discrimination
  • Barriers to accessible resources and services
  • Lack of knowledge about resources and services
  • Individuals, and individuals of color in particular, do not feel empowered to self-advocate
  • Healthcare” is narrowly defined

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