Delaware County Black women are nearly four times as likely to die during pregnancy or the months after giving birth than white women. 

Infant mortality among Black babies has increased in Delaware County, even as it goes down for white babies, said Melissa Lyon, director of the Delaware County Health Department.

Now the county is hoping a nearly $1 million federal grant will help fix those racial disparities, writes Jason Laughlin for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The money will pay for a training program for perinatal community health workers and doulas to help expectant mothers, said Delaware County Council Chairman Monica Taylor.

The grant “will help to ensure that every pregnant woman has a healthy pregnancy and that babies have a healthy start when they’re brought into this world,” Taylor said.

The training program, designed by the health department, could be ready by late summer or early fall.

Institutional racism in healthcare and doctor bias contributes to worse outcomes for infants and Black parents, regardless of economic background, compared to white families.

“We need to have the best outcome for moms and their children in the world,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who spoke at a news conference Tuesday about the grant.

Read more about this effort to reduce infant mortality in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The PBS Newshour takes a look at rising Black maternal and infant mortality rates in the U.S.