Out-of-Wedlock Births in New York City: II—Medical Aspects

Abstract

In each ethnic group, the unmarried mother and her infant were found to be greater health risks than the married mother and her infant. Complications of pregnancy, including syphilis and toxemia occurred more often among the unmarried. Premature births were more frequent in the unmarried group. The puerperal death rate was higher for the unmarried and this was associated primarily with abortions. The offspring of the unmarried was less likely to survive as shown by the higher fetal and infant death rates for this group as compared with those of the married. The influence of adverse environment was highlighted by the finding of a significantly higher infant death rate associated with causes of death as respiratory diseases and accidents among the out-of-wedlock in each ethnic group. The highest rates were for the out-of-wedlock non-white, next highest for the in-wedlock non-whites. Rates for infant deaths due to congenital malformations, which are not considered primarily environmental in origin, were lower for the non whites, both in - and out-of-wedlock, with the lowest rate of all for the out-of-wedlock non-white. The married non-white mother and her infant were more liable to disease than the unmarried white mother and her infant. This indicates that environment exerts a greater influence on the mother''s and infant''s health than does marital status per se. A program must be devised and implemented to provide adequate housing for the unmarried mother, able and willing to care for her child. Such a program should encompass protective and rehabilitative services, including health, welfare and social services, educational guidance and counseling as well as supervised recreational facilities. The unwed mother and the out-of-wedlock child constitute a problem which is only a part of a large-scale community problem of unstable family life. All the forces in the community must be mobilized to motivate individuals to strengthen family life. Churches, schools, welfare, health and housing agencies must join in this effort. It is hoped that this study will stimulate such corrective action.