weight problem

Infants of mothers who are not married were shown to be at higher risk for poor outcomes. In 2005, infants of married mothers had an infant mortality rate of 5.25 per 1,000 live births, 45 percent lower than the rate for infants of unmarried mothers (9.61). Marital status may be a marker for the presence or absence of social, emotional and financial resources. Also, the infant mortality for mothers born in the 50 states and the District of Columbia (7.26) was 43 percent higher than the rate for mothers born elsewhere (5.08). A variety of hypotheses may account for the lower infant rate, including possible differences in migration selectivity, social support, and risk behaviors. Also, women born outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia have been shown to have different characteristics than their U.S. born counterparts with regard to socioeconomic and educational status.

Approximately two-thirds of all infant deaths in 2005 (18,782 out of 28,384) occurred during the neonatal period (from birth through 27 days of age). The neonatal rate for infants of non-Hispanic black mothers (9.13) was more than twice those for AIAN (4.04), non-Hispanic white (3.71), API (3.37), Mexican (3.78), Central and South American (3.23), and Cuban mothers (3.05). The highest postneonatal mortality rates were for infants of non-Hispanic black (4.50) and AIAN (4.02) mothers, about twice the rate for non-Hispanic white mothers (2.05). Postneonatal mortality rates for Mexican (1.75), API (1.51), and Central and South American mothers (1.46) were lower than for non-Hispanic white mothers.

The three leading causes of infant death-congenital malformations (20 percent), low birth weight (17 percent), and sudden infant death syndrome (8 percent)-accounted for 44 percent of all infant deaths. The fourth and fifth leading causes were maternal complications (6 percent) and cord complications (4 percent). Together, the top five causes accounted for 54 percent of all infant deaths in the United States in 2005. The percentage of infant deaths that were ''preterm-related'' increased from 34.6 percent in 2000 to 36.5 percent in 2005.

There were also additional statistics concerning infant mortality risks among education levels, levels of prenatal care, and for infants born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy. The infant mortality rate for mothers who completed 16 or more years of school was 4.15 in 2005. The rate was 51 percent lower than the rate for mothers who completed less than 12 years of education. The rate for mothers with a college degree was 3.60, 63 percent lower than the rate for mothers with less than a high school diploma (9.84).

The timing and quality of prenatal care received by the mother during pregnancy can be important to the infant's health and survival. In 2005, the mortality rate for infants of mothers who began prenatal care after the first trimester of pregnancy or had no care at all was 8.69 deaths per 1,000 live births, 40 percent higher than the rate for infants whose care began in the first trimester (6.20).

The infant mortality rate for infants of mothers who smoked was 11.44, 74 percent higher than the rate of 6.58 for non-smokers. The use of tobacco during pregnancy causes the passage of substances such as nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, and carbon monoxide from the placenta into the fetal blood supply. These substances restrict the growing infant's access to oxygen and can lead to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation and infant mortality. Maternal smoking has also been shown to increase the risk of respiratory infections and inhibit allergic immune responses in infants.

Eating fish

According to an article published by the Mayo Clinic, eating fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids is very good for your heart. If you eat one to two servings of fish a week, you could be cutting your chances of having a fatal heart attack by at least one third. This isn't a new approach; the American Heart Association has recommended this for years. Although there are concerns about contaminants in fish, such as the level of Mercury content, at least two large, federally sponsored studies have concluded that the heart health benefits of eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids usually outweigh the risks associated with contaminants.




A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, established fish consumption could reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by one third, and the overall mortality was 17% less.




Another study released by the Institute of Medicine found that eating seafood also seems to support a healthy heart.




According to Donald Hensrud, M.D., chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Preventive Medicine and associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition, "Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for saturated fatty acids such as is contained in meat, may lower serum cholesterol. But the main beneficial component appears to be omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids have many potential beneficial effects including improving cognitive function in developing children, decreasing triglycerides, lowering blood pressure, reducing blood clotting, enhancing immune function, and possibly others. However, the strongest benefit from omega-3 fatty acids is reducing the risk of sudden cardiac death, which appears to be due to decreasing the risk of abnormal heart rhythms."




Fatty fish that contain the most omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, and tuna. In addition, many types of seafood contain small amounts. Two three-ounce servings per week of fatty fish are recommended. Due to their high susceptibility to toxins found in fish, Dr. Hensrud recommends that children, as well as women of childbearing age, should limit the amount of canned Tuna to 6 ounces per week and limit other fish eaten to a maximum of 12 ounces a week. In addition, they should avoid eating certain fish like shark and swordfish altogether.




Toxins in fish include mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). How much toxin a fish has is dependent on the type of fish and where it was caught. Each state issues advisories concerning a safe amount of locally caught fish for consumption. Fish that have higher levels of mercury include shark, tilefish, swordfish, and king mackerel, as they are large fish that feed on smaller fish that, in turn, store methyl mercury in their own bodies from their own dietary consumption. Therefore, these fish have more concentrated mercury content.




Don't like Fish? Although supplements and non-fish foods have not been proven to have the same level of heart healthy benefits of eating fish, people with heart disease can take supplements of omega-3 fatty acids or eat non-fish foods that contain omega-3 fatty acid with some benefit. These include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil.