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Cohen finds racial differences in risk of infant mortality by maternal age

The risk of infant mortality increases linearly with age for Black women

While it is conventionally believed that delaying motherhood is both healthy and financially beneficial for mothers and their children, research has shown that Black women’s maternal health declines with age, relative to their White counterparts. Faculty Associate Philip Cohen, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has shown that this racial difference holds when analyzing infant mortality rates by race. His research demonstrates that while White women’s risk of losing their baby declines with age before rising again in their late 30’s, Black women’s risk of losing their baby increases linearly with age. Therefore, delaying motherhood may not lead to better health and socioeconomic outcomes for all women and their children.

See complete story in Slate