SMC Online Doula Training – August 2026
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My State: Infant Mortality Rate- Nardia M
My State: Infant Mortality Rate- Nardia M
I’m so sad to learn about the infant mortality rate for African American women. In the documentary, it said that even with African women with higher income and a higher economical situation and support, there is no difference in the rate. I always thought that the high mortality rate was from not having the education and resources to maintain good health. Unfortunately, the documentary shows even when you have the ability to take care of yourself, it still happens. It seems as though generational trauma, chronic stress, and racism cross the blood and soul barrier. I felt this especially when the documentary said that when Africans from abroad come, they first have a similar birth mortality to white women, but after a year, it decreases to the levels of African American women.
Massachusetts has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the country. Massachusetts’ overall average is on average 4 deaths per 1,000 births.Looking deeper at the individual racial groups the disparity is sad.
IAsians at 2.7
Black at 6.4
Whites at 2.3
Hispanic at 3.8
Black infants in Massachusetts experience infant mortality at a higher rate than that of white and Asian infants. As stated in our lessons, this is happening all across America. I hope that my work as a doula can help decrease this.
For all of the U.S.A:
Black infant mortality is at an outrageous 10.9
Whites 4.5
Hispanic 5.0
Asians 3.5
Please see the charts attached, it shows this information in detail.
Source Reference
CDC National Vital Statistics System
America’s Health Rankings state data briefs
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
America health rankings: https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/IMR_MCH/IMR-Black_MCH/MA?population=IMR-Black_MCH
Editing assistance with AI for grammar
americashealthrankings.org
Explore Infant Mortality in Massachusetts | AHR
Discover more about Infant Mortality in Massachusetts from America's Health Rankings
- 2 Replies
Thank you for sharing this, Nardia. What stood out to me most was learning that higher education, income, and access to resources do not fully protect Black mothers and babies from these disparities. It shows that the problem goes much deeper than individual choices and includes chronic stress, racism, generational trauma, and the way Black women are sometimes treated or unheard within the healthcare system. I also share your hope that our work as doulas can help create change by listening, advocating, educating, and ensuring that mothers feel supported throughout their pregnancy and birth journey.
Your writing was phenomenal in portraying your feelings about the topic. It truly is something tragic to see what different states are like when it comes ruefully down to something like infant mortality. The statistics, for better or for worse will never fully be “good” and I found it impossible to look at the statistics and think anything truly positive. Even seeing the data go from 8.2/1000 births in general here in Michigan in ’00 to 6.6/1000 in ’18 was still devastating to see.
Your research was thorough and eloquent. It was beautiful and heart breaking to see how all of us have delivered our research and observations on the matter.
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