How disparity in ethnic and cultural groups contribute to low birth weight

How disparity in ethnic and cultural groups contribute to low birth weight

At a great risk of premature and extremely low birth weights are infants of minority groups, the marginalized and the poor. Example of disparities among minority populations is native Americans and African Americans to non-Hispanic white births. Infants born of mothers of low socioeconomic rank like African American are more likely to be born prematurely.

Identify one support within your community to support preterm infants and families

Healthcare providers can carry out a developmental screening using evidence-based tools at 9, 18 and 30 months. In addition, a general screening should be done every month. Monitor the milestones closely in preterm babies. Focus should be on hypertonia, reflexes, abnormal movement, and posture.

Conclusion

Healthcare workers and the general public can be educated on the effect of preterm delivery and extremely low birth weight as public health issue.

References

James, E., Wood, C. L., Nair, H., & Williams, T. C. (2018). Preterm Birth and The Timing of Puberty: A Systematic Review. BMC Pediatrics, 18(1), 1-12.