Infant Mortality and Unwed Moms

Eberstadt’s report of the diminished chances for survival of children born “out of wedlock” compared to those born to married parents came as no surprise to me. It may be surprising, however, to contemplate one of the underlying reasons.

He indicates that neither poverty nor race nor education seems to be the greatest factor in infant mortality, but rather the marital state of the mother. Children of illegitimate parents are born at a lower birth weight and their mothers have not sought and received much prenatal care. He also indicates that illegitimacy was “severely stigmatized only a generation ago.”

The fact is, pregnant unmarried women are still subject to social stigmatization, abuse from their parents, banishment from school, ridicule or pity from their friends and a general, underlying attitude, from the nation’s “leaders” on down, that they are, even in this day and age, immoral.

Unmarried women do not seek prenatal care because they are ashamed to admit they are pregnant and face the opprobrium of family, friends and society. It is not the mere status of illegitimacy that is threatening the health of children, but rather the ancient, sexist attitudes of a society that would like to believe it has changed, but has not. Women are still under social pressure to marry, to have children, to devote more of their time to caring for those children and, generally, to do what women have been told to do for centuries.

When they do not conform, and millions don’t, they feel guilty. It was not until Eberstadt’s article, however, that I realized the actual cost to our children’s health.

What is needed is a realization that the marital state is simply not preferred by every woman. But rather than punish her for her choices, we need more general education on life style, more acceptance and tolerance of difference, more health care and less hypocrisy.

SHEILA JAMES KUEHL

Managing Attorney, Southern

California Women’s Law Center

Santa Monica