Study bolsters evidence that lifespan exposure to systemic racism in the U.S. should be considered a key driver of the Black maternal and infant health crisis.
American-born Black women in California have significantly higher rates of adverse birth outcomes than those who were born abroad, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Perinatology. The finding bolsters evidence that lifelong exposure to racism in America should be considered a key driver of adverse birth outcomes in Black pregnant people.
Previous studies have found comparable results among U.S.- and foreign-born Black women living in the Northeast or Midwest states, where most Black immigrants are from the Caribbean. By contrast, 82% of Black immigrants in the current study are from Africa, with Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Somalia emerging as the main countries of origin. So, researchers sought to find out if the same holds true in a state where the majority of Black immigrants are African-born.
They found that U.S.-born Black women in California have a 51% increased risk of preterm birth and a 52% increased risk of low birth weight compared to their foreign-born counterparts.
The difference in risk of adverse birth outcomes between American-born and foreign-born Black women is not due to genetics. Rather, we believe that it can be explained by differences in exposure to racism across the lifespan.
Safyer McKenzie-Sampson, PTBi Researcher
California Preterm Birth Initiative
These findings further support the premise that the nation’s history and continued legacy of anti-Black practices and norms are at the source of present-day birth inequities for Black communities. The study’s lead author, Safyer McKenzie-Sampson, urges researchers take this into account when investigating potential interventions to improve outcomes for Black birthing people.
“The difference in the risk of adverse birth outcomes between American-born and foreign-born Black women is not due to genetics,” said McKenzie-Sampson, graduate student researcher in the Department Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “Rather, we believe that it can be explained by differences in exposure to racism across the lifespan.
“Previous studies have found that as foreign-born Black women spend more time in America, their birth outcomes become more similar to American-born Black women. This suggests that the experience of racism in American society is distinct, and exposure to American-based racism over time increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes for all Black women.”
