Addressing Black Infant Mortality in Wisconsin through a Collaborative Health Equity Approach to Community-Based, Group Prenatal Care and Infant Support

At a Glance

Led by Jasmine Zapata, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, in partnership with the Today Not Tomorrow Family Resource Center and its collaborative partners: Project Babies (project of Today Not Tomorrow, Inc.), Harambee Village Doulas, and the African American Breastfeeding Alliance of Dane County, Inc., this project will implement the Today Not Tomorrow Pregnancy and Infant Support Program (TNT-PISP).

The Challenge

African American babies in Wisconsin are almost three times as likely to die before their first birthday compared to whites and the number one cause of infant mortality among black babies is complications of prematurity. The factors leading to inequities in preterm birth and infant mortality are complex and multifactorial; therefore, multidisciplinary and innovative approaches to prenatal and interconception care are critical to improve these outcomes.

Wisconsin’s overall infant mortality rate is comparable with national averages; however, its non-Hispanic Black infant mortality rate is the highest in the nation. This is an urgent public health crisis that cannot be ignored and represents a pressing health inequity that warrants continued attention, advocacy, research, and collaboration.

Project Goals

With this project, Dr. Zapata and partners will use a novel prenatal care approach that combines three evidence-based intervention approaches: community-based doula programs, group-based models of prenatal care such as Centering Pregnancy, and community-based pregnancy support group. This pilot model builds upon emerging evidence about how to effectively implement and sustain prenatal care models in Black communities. By focusing on culturally relevant care, the project aims to address the inequities in African American birth outcomes in Wisconsin.