Racial and ethnic disparities in neonatal Mortality are a significant concern in healthcare. This issue is not limited to the United States, as other countries also demonstrate increased mortality rates among minority groups. For instance, infants born to non-U.K. mothers in the United Kingdom have higher neonatal mortality rates compared to infants born to U.K.-born mothers.

Reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have consistently shown ethnic disparities in infant mortality rates. These reports play a crucial role in monitoring the progress of these disparities in the United States. However, there are still many unmet needs that must be addressed.

While the United States has achieved reductions in baby and adolescent mortality rates, there are persistent racial and ethnic disparities. In 2015, mortality rates were higher for Black populations compared to White populations across all age groups. Economic and social inequality significantly contributes to these disparities by affecting access to care and the quality of care provided.

To address these contributing factors, it is important to stratify infant mortality rates into neonatal mortality (within the first 28 days of life) and post-neonatal mortality (after 28 days of life). Understanding the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics associated with mortality in hospitalized neonates is crucial in reducing disparities. Analyzing trends in mortality rates can provide valuable information on the progress of ethnic disparities.

While the variations in neonatal mortalities across ethnic groups are understood, the relationship between neonatal mortality and factors such as household income, healthcare insurance type, and type of birthing hospital remains unknown.

In this study, researchers utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset from 2012 to 2018 to compare the mortality rates of Black and White neonates after accounting for significant epidemiologic and hospital factors. The hypothesis was that ethnic disparities in neonatal mortality exist, similar to the disparities reported in infant mortality by the CDC.

The study included a total of 26,936,430 neonates, of which 3,511,960 were Black and 12,662,000 were White. Black neonates had a mortality rate of 0.63%, while White neonates had a mortality rate of 0.28%.

Government-supported health insurance was more prevalent among Black neonates compared to White neonates, and there were significant differences in household income between the two populations. Most deliveries occurred in the South region for both Black and White populations, but the proportion was higher among Black neonates.

Further analysis of the data is needed to determine the extent of ethnic disparities in neonatal mortality and identify potential solutions to reduce these disparities.

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