Jade Amaya

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status and the Healthcare System on the Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S.

Started July 6, 2022

Abstract or project description

As income inequality widens in the United States, many pregnant women struggle to find affordable healthcare. Despite being a high-income country, the United States is one of the only developed countries worldwide not to provide universal healthcare. Although the United States allocates more money per capita, its infant and maternal mortality rates are higher than in some developed countries with universal healthcare. With a focus on maternal and natal care, this paper includes a comparative analysis of infant and maternal mortality rates in the United States, as opposed to those in other developed countries, including Norway, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. To evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status and healthcare structure roles in infant and maternal mortality rates, this paper discusses previous research studies that find pregnant women and mothers with less access to healthcare facing complications from pregnancy and childbirth at a higher rate, explains how socioeconomic status correlates with the quality of prenatal and postnatal healthcare, and examines how access to and type of insurance affects prenatal and postnatal healthcare through a literature review of countries’ healthcare policies, programs, histories, funds, and outcomes. In discussing the implications of this literature review, this paper offers suggestions that can be taken to improve prenatal and postnatal care and continue to decrease the maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States.