Watch: Infant Mortality Rate for Black Babies in Washtenaw County 4x Higher Than for White Babies

“This math ain’t mathin’.”–Shannon McFall

Note: These videos contain profanity, marijuana use and may not be suitable for children.

Ann Arbor Independent “Urban Exile” columnist Shannon McFall lives in Pittsfield Township and vlogs about race, local, county and national politics. He’ll be sharing commentaries weekly with The Ann Arbor Independent. Tune in to watch a short video commentary by McFall that delves into the issues (crime, money, equity, and race) impacting Washtenaw County, particularly its Black community.

According to the County Health Dept.: “In Washtenaw County, Black infants are more than four times more likely to die than white infants before their first birthday, and more than two times more likely to be born premature or low birth weight. Many of these deaths and preterm births are preventable by helping all women stay healthier during their childbearing years, whether they are currently pregnant or not. Birth weight has been found to be the primary predictor of infant survival, and prenatal care is a key factor in preventing preterm births and very low birth weight babies.”

Additional Information:

Infant Mortality Statistics: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Vital Records and Health Statistics.

Healthy Women (PDF): Women’s health and behavior before, during, and after pregnancy are important factors in keeping themselves and their babies as healthy as they can be. This report presents findings from the recent HIP survey, and describes the health of all women of reproductive age in Washtenaw County.