Babylost : Racism, Survival, and the Quiet Politics of Infant Mortality, from A to Z

"The U.S. infant mortality rate is among the highest in the industrialized world, and Black babies are far more likely than white babies to die in their first year of life. Maternal mortality rates are also very high. Though the infant mortality rate overall has improved over the past century with public health interventions, racial disparities have not. Racism, poverty, lack of access to health care, and other causes of death have been identified, but not yet adequately addressed. The tragedy is twofold: it is undoubtedly tragic that babies die in their first year of life, and it is both tragic and unacceptable that most of these deaths are preventable. Despite the urgency of the problem, there has been little public discussion of infant loss. The question this book takes up is not why babies die; we already have many answers to this question. It is, rather, who cares that babies, mostly but not only Black and Native American babies, are dying before their first birthdays? More importantly, what are we willing to do about it? This book tracks social and cultural dimensions of infant death through 58 alphabetical entries, from Absence to ZIP Code. It centers women's loss and grief, while also drawing attention to dimensions of infant death not often examined. It is simultaneously a sociological study of infant death, an archive of loss and grief, and a clarion call for social change"-- Provided by publisher The U.S. infant mortality rate is among the highest in theindustrialized world, and Black babies are far more likely thanwhite babies to die in their first year of life. Maternal mortalityrates are also very high. Though the infant mortality rate overallhas improved over the past century with public healthinterventions, racial disparities have not. Racism, poverty, lackof access to health care, and other causes of death have beenidentified, but not yet adequately addressed. The tragedy istwofold: it is undoubtedly tragic that babies die in their firstyear of life, and it is both tragic and unacceptable thatmost of these deaths are preventable. Despite the urgency of theproblem, there has been little public discussion of infant loss.The question this book takes up is not why babies die; we alreadyhave many answers to this question. It is, rather, who cares thatbabies, mostly but not only Black and Native American babies, aredying before their first birthdays? More importantly, what are wewilling to do about it? This book tracks social and culturaldimensions of infant death through 58 alphabetical entries, fromAbsence to ZIP Code. It centers women's loss and grief, while alsodrawing attention to dimensions of infant death not often examined.It is simultaneously a sociological study of infant death, anarchive of loss and grief, and a clarion call for social change The U.S. infant mortality rate is among the highest in the industrialized world, and Black babies are far more likely than white babies to die in their first year of life. Maternal mortality rates are also very high. The tragedy is twofold: it is undoubtedly tragic that babies die in their first year of life, and it is both tragic and unacceptable that most of these deaths are preventable. Babylost tracks social and cultural dimensions of infant death through 26 alphabetical entries, from Absence to ZIP Code. It centers women's loss and grief, while also drawing attention to dimensions of infant death often left unexamined. CONTENTS 7 Introduction 11 A 17 B 24 C 37 D 46 E 66 F 72 G 80 H 86 I 89 J 99 K 103 L 105 M 107 N 124 O 133 P 140 Q 153 R 156 S 163 T 173 U 180 V 183 W 187 X 196 Y 200 Z 201 Acknowledgments 205 References 209 Index 265