MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin’s overall infant mortality rate was 5.7 between 2019 and 2021, according to new data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Infant mortality rate represents the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Wisconsin DHS released two new reports on birth outcomes Thursday.
During the same time frame, 2019 to 2021, non-Hispanic Black infants were three times more likely to die before they turned one, when compared to their non-Hispanic white peers.
From 2019 to 2021, the infant mortality rate for American Indian and Alaskan Native infants was 1.5 times the rate of non-Hispanic white infants.
Wisconsin DHS data found two key areas of focus to reduce inequities: Low birthweight and sudden unexpected infant death (SUID). SUID is a term used to describe the death of an infant less than 365 days old in which the cause of death is not clear before investigation. The reports also emphasized the need for approaches that create systemic change and recognize past and current systemic harms and their impacts on health.
The African American Breast-Feeding Network is a Milwaukee-based organization that seeks to reduce those numbers. The organization’s mission is to improve maternal and child health by focusing on breastfeeding equity by advocating for system and policy changes.
Dalvery Blackwell said she started AABN 15 years ago, alongside Angelia Wilks-Tate, because of the disparities and inequalities surrounding breastfeeding in the community.
“We wanted to provide families with reliable consistent support so they could reach their breastfeeding goals,” said Blackwell, a co-founder of AABN.
Since then, AABN has grown. AABN partners with local community organizations, such as the Sojourner Family Peace Center, to help pregnant people. AABN works with expecting families at those organizations, as well as hospitals. AABN provides doula services in addition to breastfeeding support.
Blackwell said AABN targets pregnant families to help them identify risk factors before their babies are born.
“Historically, Black and Brown women have always been at a disadvantage in terms of healthy birth outcomes,” she said. “For example, lack of high quality health resources. They also experience racism in the hospital systems. They also have risk factors such as housing and a lack of employment opportunities.”
Wisconsin residents experiencing higher infant mortality rates are those most likely to be impacted by access to care, lack of reproductive autonomy and chronic stress, related to things like poverty, food insecurity, housing insecurity and racism.
These factors play a role in low birthweight and SUID by impacting how the body functions, and by creating barriers to resources that can reduce the likelihood of these outcomes.
Tenia Ruffin is the office administrator at the AABN. As an exclusively-breastfeeding mother, she brings her child to work with her daily. She said it’s something she doesn’t take for granted.
During her second pregnancy, she took advantage of AABN’s support and services. She gave birth with a doula at her side, through the WeRISE Doula Care program.
Now, as an employee of the network, she said she’s happy to offer services to other families in the city.
“We have doulas who know the process and know some of these women are scared to go into hospitals,” said Ruffin. “We want to be by their side and tell them, ‘It’s ok,’ and ‘These are your options,’ because sometimes we don’t get that.”