Infant Mortality and Maternal Risk Factors in Texas: Highlighting Zip Code Variations in 2 At-Risk Counties, 2011–2015
ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 19 — January 13, 2022
PEER REVIEWED
Figure 1. Percentage of women with key maternal risk factors, Healthy Families sites and Texas, 2011–2015. Hypertension included preexisting or gestational hypertension/preeclampsia or eclampsia; diabetes included diagnosis before pregnancy or diagnosis during pregnancy.
| Maternal Risk Factor | Hidalgo County | Smith County | Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prenatal care | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
| Diabetes | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.2 |
| Hypertension | 5.7 | 7.9 | 6.7 |
| Cigarette smoking during pregnancy | 3.1 | 6.9 | 4.2 |
| Prepregnancy obesity | 28.0 | 26.8 | 23.7 |
Most zip code areas in Hidalgo County had an infant mortality rate greater than 3.0 to 6.0 per 1,000 live births. One zip code in the northeastern part of the county had an infant mortality rate greater than 12.0. The prevalence of prepregnancy obesity was greater than 30%, particularly in zip codes with high infant mortality. The northeasternmost section of the county does not have a zip code, so no mortality or obesity data are available there.
Figure 2. Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) with prevalence of prepregnancy obesity, by zip code area, Hidalgo County, Texas, 2011–2015.
Most zip code areas in Smith County had an infant mortality rate of 6.1 to 9.0 per 1,000 live births. Most of these zip codes also had prevalences of 20% or less of maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy.
Figure 3. Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) with prevalence of cigarette smoking during pregnancy, by zip code area, Smith County, Texas, 2011–2015.
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