Do fetal mortality rates differ among racial and ethnic groups?
Fetal mortality rates vary considerably by race and ethnicity of the mother. In 2005, the fetal mortality rate for non-Hispanic white women was 4.79 fetal deaths of 20 weeks or more per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths. The rate for Asian or Pacific Islander women was similar (4.78). In contrast, the fetal mortality rate for non-Hispanic black women was 11.13, or 2.3 times the rate for non-Hispanic white women. The rate for American Indian or Alaska Native women was 29% higher, and for Hispanic women 14% higher, than for non-Hispanic white women. Part of the higher risk of fetal mortality for non-Hispanic black women relates to their higher risk of preterm delivery. Other factors frequently mentioned as contributing to the black-white fetal mortality gap are differences in maternal preconception health, infection, income, and access to quality health care. However, much of the black-white disparity in fetal mortality remains unexplained (1,8).
