Table of Contents

2022 through Quarter 1, 2025

The following report comprises data from DHA Delta Doula Collaborative activities across the following areas, by program year and/or quarter.

Demographics

This section covers details on program participants:

Enrollment

By Year

Total Enrollment by Year
Year Total Enrollees
2022 83
2023 34
2024 14
2025 4

By Quarter

Age & Race of Mothers/Female Guardians

(To date, participants over 50 are not/have not been pregnant under the program)

The data below reflect the mother’s age on the date of enrollment.

In 2022, the mean age at first birth for Black women was 25.8 years. For white women, it was 28.2 years.1

Mothers’ Average Ages by Year
Year Average Age Pct. Black
2022 25.3 0.9878049
2023 23.3 0.9687500
2024 22.6 1.0000000
2025 27.0 1.0000000

Prenatal

This section covers:

Prenatal Care

Indicates the trimester of pregnancy in which the mother had her first prenatal care visit:

  • First trimester: conception-12 weeks
  • Second trimester: 12-24 weeks
  • Third trimester: 24-40 weeks

Early initiation of prenatal care (first trimester) is associated with better maternal health outcomes and is an indicator of access to maternity care services.2

This chart does not include participants for whom trimester of prenatal care is unknown - an insignificant amount.

In 2022, about 77% of U.S. mothers received prenatal care in their first trimester - 67.6% of Black mothers did. White mothers did so at 82.6%. Overall, 6.8% received late or no prenatal care (10% for Black mothers, 4.7% for white).3. For Mississippi that year, 70.2% of Black mothers received first-trimester prenatal care compared to 79.4% of white mothers.4

Prenatal Health

We include this information to track possible high-risk pregnancy patterns and any changes in adverse outcomes (women with a history of miscarriage, preterm labor, previous low-birthweight babies, diabetes, hypertension, etc.). A pregnancy and/or personal health history that includes such factors increases the odds of high risk during subsequent pregnancy.5

It is also a significant factor in predicting early births. Mississippi women who smoke, have high blood pressure, are obese, and/or have diabetes are even more likely to have preterm births than women nationally.6

Ns vary from total enrollment figures due to the number of data touch points - the prenatal form is given each time a woman is pregnant and post-delivery.

Mothers with history of diabetes or hypertension

In the US, 1-2% of pregnant women have diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2),7 and hypertension affects 2-3% of pregnancies.8. In 2023, women who had diabetes and hypertension before pregnancy experienced 28.8% and 23.4% rate of preterm birth, respectively.9

In 2021, 22.3% of Black women ages 18-44 in Mississippi reported being told by a health care professional they have hypertension.10

Breastfeeding

Pregnant mothers’ feeding method plans for infant

Breastfeeding intention can help predict postnatal initiation and duration of this feeding method.11

Breastfeeding of newborn babies

Postpartum

This section covers birth outcomes:

Preterm (PT) Births

Preterm birth: baby is born before full term (37 weeks’ gestation)

By Year

Data not reliable for 2015-16 - most relevant question (“Was the baby born before 39 weeks (non-elective)?)” is not at the 37 weeks’ PT definitional point, and is blank for all of 2016. Therefore, we include here 2017-Q3 2024. Other information, like weeks’ gestation at birth, are also not available/reliable for 2015-16 to conclusively calculate PT birth.

Ns are generally slightly different than total births for this factor and singletons only because of the amount of missing information for birthweight and weeks’ gestation. Additionally, twins sometimes have an entry for only one of the babies.
Preterm Births
Year Total Births Average Gestation Preterm Babies Preterm Rate
2022 56 37.3 13 23%
2023 19 38.8 1 5%
2024 9 37.3 3 33%
2025 1 39.0 0 0%

The U.S. rate of preterm birth was 10.4% in 2023.12 For Black women in Mississippi in 2022, it was 18.1%, and 14.8% for all women.13

Low Birthweight (LBW)

  • Low birthweight: born weighing less than 5lb 8oz (2,500g)
  • Very low birthweight: born weighing less than 3lb 4oz (1,500g)

By Year

Ns are generally slightly different than total births for this factor and singletons only because of the amount of missing information for birthweight and weeks’ gestation. Additionally, twins sometimes have an entry for only one of the babies.
Low Birthweight Births
Year Total Babies Low BW Babies Low BW Rate
2022 46 12 26%
2023 16 0 0%

The U.S. rate of low birthweight was 8.6% in 2023.14 For Black women in Mississippi in 2022, it was 18.5%, and 12.7% overall.15

Birth Mode

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Place of Birth

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Postpartum Visits

Ideally, at least 80% of Home Visiting participants receive a postpartum visit (obstetric care following delivery, usually within three weeks). Most pregnancy-related deaths happen post-delivery - 19% of maternal deaths between 1-6 days postpartum, 21% between 1-6 weeks postpartum, and 12% during the rest of the first year after birth.16 Prompt and efficient postpartum care is crucial to maintaining longer-term health for both mother and child.

The information below reflects mothers who have either already had such a visit with a provider or have one scheduled.

Safe Sleep

Infants in Mississippi die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at higher rates than the national average.17 While the cause of SIDS is unknown, parents can practice safe sleeping measures to prevent it. Factors like preterm birth, low birthweight, and smoking/alcohol/drug use during pregnancy increase the risk of SIDS.18

Ideal infant sleeping arrangement:

  • Alone: baby always sleeps by themselves in their own crib or bassinet
  • On back: baby is always placed on their back to sleep

For infants less than 1 year old:

Sources Cited

  1. Centers for Disease Control (2024). Births: Final Data for 2022↩︎

  2. Oregon Health Authority (2019). First trimester prenatal care↩︎

  3. Centers for Disease Control (2024) Births: Final Data for 2022↩︎

  4. MS Statistically Automated Health Resource System (2024). Prenatal Care First Trimester↩︎

  5. Mayo Clinic (2022). Pregnancy week by week↩︎

  6. March of Dimes (2024). Mississippi Report Card↩︎

  7. Centers for Disease Control (2018). Diabetes During Pregnancy↩︎

  8. Mammaro et al. (2009) Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy↩︎

  9. March of Dimes (2023). 2023 March Of Dimes Report Card Shows Modest Improvement in U.S. Preterm Birth Rate, Which Remains at Decade-Long High, Earning Nation D+ Grade↩︎

  10. America’s Health Rankings (2023). High Blood Pressure - Women by State: Black↩︎

  11. Mueffelmann et al. (2015). Perceived Infant Feeding Preferences of Significant Family Members and Mothers’ Intentions to Exclusively Breastfeed↩︎

  12. Centers for Disease Control (2024). Births: Final Data for 2022↩︎

  13. MS Statistically Automated Health Resource System (2024). Premature Birth (<37 Weeks Gestation)↩︎

  14. March of Dimes (2024). Low birthweight: United States, 2013-2023↩︎

  15. MS Statistically Automated Health Resource System (2024). Low Birth Weight↩︎

  16. Commonwealth Fund (2020). Maternal Mortality and Maternity Care in the United States Compared to 10 Other Developed Countries↩︎

  17. March of Dimes (2024.). Mississippi Report Card↩︎

  18. National Institutes of Health (n.d.). Safe Sleep for Babies↩︎