Final answer:
African American women have low birth weight babies at twice the rate of white American women, with socio-economic disparities and historical inequalities contributing to this health issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
African American women have low birth weight babies at twice the rate of white American women. Health disparities, including those in birth outcomes, are deeply rooted in the historical and socio-economic fabric of the United States. A history of poor treatment, lack of nutrition for pregnant enslaved women, and systemic inequalities has perpetuated these outcomes.
Today, despite overall improvements in infant mortality rates, African Americans experience infant mortality at significantly higher rates compared to Whites. Socio-economic factors, such as poverty and access to healthcare, further exacerbate these disparities, where African Americans are more likely to live in poverty and struggle with health-related issues, resulting in a higher percentage of low birth weight and infant mortality.
Health inequality, driven by various factors including racial and socio-economic disparities, continues to affect the birth outcomes of African American babies as opposed to their White counterparts, and it crucially requires ongoing attention to address these profound disparities.