Montgomery County’s growing population of infants face greater risks to their health than they did several years ago, even as thecounty’s school-age children show gains in health and education.
The county’s infant mortality rate, or the number of deaths before age 1 per 1,000 births, has increased nearly 3 points since 2000 to 7 in 2006, according to information gathered by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Black families in the county are two times more likely than whites and Hispanics to suffer an infant’s death, said Dr. Ulder Tillman, the chief of public health services for the county’s Health Department.
“The infant mortality rate is very complex,” Tillman said, explaining factors such as low birth weight and prematurity are the leading causes of serious health problems.
“In addition to factors like smoking, however, we’re looking at stress levels, and environmental stressers like poverty, racism and violence,” Tillman said.
She cited studies indicating chronic stress can be a health benefit in the short term but can be highly detrimental over the long term. Compounding the problems, enrollment by all groups in prenatal health care fell to 80 percent in recent years, down from 90 percent in 2000.
In 2006, the infant mortality rate for blacks was 16.7, compared with 4.5 for whites and 2.2 for Hispanics.
Black infants in the county were more likely to suffer low birth rates, as well.
In 2006, 12.7 percent of them weighed less than 5.5 pounds, compared with 7.6 percent of white babies and 7 percent of Hispanic babies.
The data were compiled along with about 40 other key indicators of children’s well-being as part of a report called “The Children’s Agenda,” produced by the county’s Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The council was created to pull together information and services from the county’s various agencies and social service providers.
At older age levels, indicators showed improvements. The percentage of children deemed “fully ready” for kindergarten — a sign of good early childhood health care and education — increased to 70 percent this year from 61 percent in the 2001-02 school year.
“While everyone has seen improvements in some areas, there’s still a gap,” said Cheryl Lynn Jenkins, director of data for the council.
“The low-income and the English language learners need further support.”
