A recent report revealed that 62 percent of Black infants live in poverty. Alongside that number, 20 percent of Black infants and toddlers combined live in deep poverty, which is higher than the 18.6 percent rate of all babies living in poverty.
A statement from the State of Babies Yearbook: 2023 report stated, “These poverty and income levels are concerning, as babies’ rapid brain development during their early years makes them particularly vulnerable to the material hardship and family stress that accompany poverty, with long-term consequences for later success in school and employment.”
A contributor to the high number of Black infants in poverty is the overall number of Black people in poverty. Approximately 40 percent of Black people who gave birth were in poverty before and near the time of birth. Parental poverty puts Black children at risk of poverty as well.
While Black women work more than any other group of women in the labor force, Black women, and subsequently, Black mothers, face disproportionate risks in their everyday lives such as unstable housing, unsafe neighborhoods, and a lack of resources.
The State of Babies Yearbook was created by the Think Babies Initiative, which advocates for better policies surrounding proper maternity treatment, and continues to raise awareness surrounding Black infants.