A pooled data analysis published in BMJ Global Health revealed that the delivery of an underweight and premature baby is associated with racial discrimination based on ethnicity, skin color, or nationality experienced by the parents. The evidence is increasingly suggesting that upstream social, environmental, economic, and political factors are fundamental drivers of health inequities. Also, it is often racism, rather than race, that is the root cause of the social and health detriments. For example, maternal death rates among black and indigenous women in the USA are 2-3 times higher than those of white women.

In the study, the researchers searched 8 electronic databases to explore the existing patterns of racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes, such as self-reported race discrimination, premature birth (before 37 weeks), low birth weight, high blood pressure associated with pregnancy, etc. The participants were of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, including black or African American, Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, Maori, Pacific, Asian, Aboriginal, Romani, indigenous German, and Turkish.

The data analysis showed that among all the outcomes, the experience of race discrimination was associated with a heightened risk of premature birth and giving birth to a small-for-gestational-age baby. When low-quality studies were excluded, the odds of premature birth were reported to be around 31% and the overall odds of a small-for-gestational-age baby were estimated to be 23%. The researcher pointed out that the findings of the study align with existing evidence on perceived racial discrimination as an important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

(Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/race-discrimination-linked-to-increased-risk-of-premature-and-underweight-babies-study-101659593897689.html )