Premature babies are defined as babies who are born earlier than the usual 37 weeks of pregnancy. The risk is greater as birth occurs earlier. Babies born before 26 weeks are at the greatest risk. Yet a study by the University of Florida shows that black prematurely born baby girls are twice as likely to survive than white baby boys.
Black women have more premature babies
More than any other race, black women give birth to more premature babies. But premature black baby girls are 1.3 times more likely to survive than premature white baby girls, and 1.8 times more likely to survive than premature black baby boys. Why?
Reasons remain unknown
It is not known why black baby girls are better survivors when born premature. Some pediatric professionals believe that black baby girls mature faster, which could increase their survival rate.
Professor Steven B. Morse at the University of Florida also added that generally speaking "females tend to have better survival rates than males, and blacks better than whites,” but he also stated that "it’s still not clear why female and black premature infants have better chances of survival than boys and white infants born too soon."
To read the entire article published in The Washington Times, visit www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jan/6/20060106-125034-4422r/?page=all
