Unnatural Causes Essay

480 Words2 Pages
Unnatural Causes is a film produced by California Newsreel that discusses in depth the disparity in birth outcomes of African American women and their white counterparts. Part 2 of the film explores the fact that on average, African American women are statistically more prone to birthing low-weight babies as compared to white women. This film explores the social determinants that influence health of a childbirth. The film weaves together the opinions of various experts in the field that argue that chronic stress is the largest influence on the health of the child at birth. One of the major factors of chronic stress is poverty. This “toxic” stress causes various negative outcomes in childbirth, such as the delivery of premature, low-weight babies, as part 2 of this film discusses. Studies have shown that as the socio-economic status of the mother decreases, so does the health of her child at birth. Some experts suggest that it is this stress in the mother that causes African American infants to be more likely to suffer from developmental problems, such as cognitive, physical, and behavioral deficits (Jackson et al., 2010). Chronic stress, such as poverty, is a physiologic reaction to both physical and psychological stressors. When the body is unable to maintain homeostasis in the face of this stress, it can produce results such as insulin resistance, obesity, and even cardiovascular disease. This just goes to show that the problems of the mind have an effect on the body. These stresses cannot be overlooked when examining the factors that affect childbirth, as the health of the baby is contingent upon the health of the mother. Therefore, wealthier and more educated mothers are more likely to undergo less pre-pregnancy stress because they have more control over their environments and experiences. The impact of poverty on childbirth, however, is not the sole
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