Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Goal

Improve the health and well-being of women, infants, children, and families.

Overview

Improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children is an important public health goal for the United States. Their well-being determines the health of the next generation and can help predict future public health challenges for families, communities, and the health care system. The objectives of the Maternal, Infant, and Child Health topic area address a wide range of conditions, health behaviors, and health systems indicators that affect the health, wellness, and quality of life of women, children, and families.

Why Are Maternal, Infant, and Child Health Important?

Pregnancy can provide an opportunity to identify existing health risks in women and to prevent future health problems for women and their children. These health risks may include:

• Hypertension and heart disease
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Intimate partner violence
• Genetic conditions
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Tobacco, alcohol, and substance use
• Inadequate nutrition
• Unhealthy weight

The risk of maternal and infant mortality and pregnancy-related complications can be reduced by increasing access to quality preconception (before pregnancy), prenatal (during pregnancy), and interconception (between pregnancies) care.1 Moreover, healthy birth outcomes and early identification and treatment of developmental delays and disabilities and other health conditions among infants can prevent death or disability and enable children to reach their full potential.2, 3, 4

Understanding Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Many factors can affect pregnancy and childbirth, including:

• Preconception health status
• Age
• Access to appropriate preconception, prenatal, and interconception health care
• Poverty

Infant and child health are similarly influenced by sociodemographic and behavioral factors, such as education, family income, and breastfeeding, but are also linked to the physical and mental health of parents and caregivers.

There are racial and ethnic disparities in mortality and morbidity for mothers and children; in particular, maternal and infant mortality and morbidity are highest for African Americans.3, 5, 6 These differences are likely the result of many factors.

Determinants of Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. Environmental and social factors such as access to health care and early intervention services, educational, employment, and economic opportunities, social support, and availability of resources to meet daily needs influence maternal health behaviors and health status.7

The determinants that influence maternal health also affect pregnancy outcomes and infant and child health. Racial and ethnic disparities exist in infant mortality and can be partly attributed to disparities in social determinants of health.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Child health status varies by both race and ethnicity, as well as by family income15 and related factors, including educational attainment among household members and health insurance coverage.16 Child health status and well-being can also be influenced by access to high-quality health care, such as that received through a medical home17 and maternity care practices that promote breastfeeding18 and safe sleep environments.19

The cognitive and physical development of infants and children may be influenced by the health, nutrition, and behaviors of their mothers during pregnancy and early childhood. Consumption of recommended amounts of folic acid before and during pregnancy can reduce the risk for neural tube defects. Breast milk is widely acknowledged to be the most complete form of nutrition for most infants, with a range of benefits for their health, growth, immunity, and development.20, 21 Furthermore, children reared in safe and nurturing families and neighborhoods, free from maltreatment and other adverse childhood experiences, are more likely to have better outcomes as adults.22, 23, 24

Emerging Issues in Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Recent efforts to address persistent disparities in maternal, infant, and child health have employed a “life course” perspective to health promotion and disease prevention. At the start of the decade, about half of all pregnancies were unplanned. Unintended pregnancy is associated with a host of public health concerns such as delayed initiation of prenatal care, poor maternal health, and preterm birth. In response, perinatal health initiatives have been aimed at improving the health of women and infants before and during pregnancy through a variety of evidence-based interventions and attention to emerging public health concerns, such as Zika.1, 25, 26

The life course perspective also supports the examination of quality of life, including the challenges of male and female fertility. An estimated 6.9 million American women ages 15 to 44 have received infertility services (including counseling and diagnosis) in their lifetime.27 Disparities in infertility diagnosis and treatment exist among racial and ethnic groups, and may increase as childbearing practices continue to change. In particular, African American women experience higher rates of infertility.28

References

Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations to improve preconception health and health care—United States: A report of the CDC/ATSDR Preconception Care Work Group and the Select Panel on Preconception Care. MMWR. 2006;55(RR-06):1–23.

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