Dealing With the Tragedy of No-Care Moms, No-Hope Babies

Many health care professionals are acutely aware of the tragedy of “no prenatal care” babies.

It is because of our concern for the health and well-being of children that we are championing a special media campaign, “Great Beginnings for Black Babies.” This is an intensive educational and public awareness campaign to inform African American women of childbearing age, as well as the general population, of the serious consequences of inadequate prenatal care, and the deleterious effects of the use of substances such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco during pregnancy. Statistics show that the highest infant mortality rate in the U.S. is in the African American community. More dramatic than these findings is the data that shows Southern California to have a black infant mortality rate equal to some Third World countries.

To combat this critical problem, a committee of health care professionals, under the auspices of the county Department of Health Services, conceived the “Great Beginnings for Black Babies” project.

VIRGINIA HUNTER, RN, PhD

Chair, Great Beginnings for Black Babies Task Force, Los Angeles