SPA 6 Statistics -
III. Mental and Infant Health Back to Table of Contents
Birth Outcomes and Prenatal Health
During 1999, there were 22,889 live births in SPA 6 (Table 8). The racial/ethnic composition of live births was 73% Latino, 24%African American, 2% White, 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 0.4% American Indian and other racial/ethnic groups. There were 1,790 low birth-weight babies (8% of total live births), 1,512 births to adolescents less than 18 years of age (7% of total live births), and 4,527 mothers receiving prenatal care after the first trimester or not receiving prenatal care at all (20% of all delivering mothers). Babies may be in more than one category.
African American mothers had the highest percentage of low birth-weight babies (14%). They were followed by American Indian mothers and mothers from other racial/ethnic groups with 12%; Asians/Pacific Islanders with 8%; and Whites and Latinas, each group with 6% of live births reported as low birth-weight babies. Latinas had the highest proportion of births to adolescents (7%). They were followed by African Americans with 6%, American Indians and mothers from other racial/ethnic groups with 5% of births born to adolescent mothers. About 3% of babies born to White mothers were born to adolescents, while 2% of babies born to Asians/Pacific Islanders were born to adolescent mothers. Percentage of mothers receiving late or no prenatal care was highest among American Indians and those from other racial/ethnic groups with 24%. They were followed by African Americans, Latinas, and Asians/Pacific Islanders, with about 20% of mothers in each group receiving late or no prenatal care. Sixteen percent of White mothers received late or no prenatal care.
Among cities and communities in SPA 6, Compton had the highest number of live births with 2,971 during 1999 (Table 9). The city was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 2,703, Exposition Park with 2,022, South Vermont with 1,902, and Lynwood with 1,718 live births during 1999.
The highest number of low birth-weight babies were born to mothers residing in the City of Compton, with 241 low birth-weight babies. The city was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 174, South Vermont with 157, and Exposition Park with 149 low birth-weight babies delivered during 1999. However, rates of low birth-weight babies per 1,000 live births were highest in the communities of Jefferson Park with a rate of 97; Adams and the Crenshaw District, each with a rate of 96; and Leimert Park with a rate of 95 low birth-weight babies per 1,000 live births during 1999.
Births to adolescent mothers less than 18 years of age were highest in the City of Compton with 211. The city was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 185, Exposition Park with 135, Humphry with 126, and South Vermont with 120 births to adolescent mothers during 1999. However, rates of births to adolescents per 1,000 live births were highest in Willowbrook with a rate of 80. The community was followed by Watts with a rate of 77; Compton with a rate of 71; Florence and West Compton/Los Angeles County, each with a rate of 70 births to adolescent mothers per 1,000 live births.
The City of Compton had the highest number of mothers receiving prenatal care after the first trimester or receiving no care, with 647. It was followed by South Central Los Angeles with 603, Exposition Park with 395, South Vermont with 375, and Florence with 354 mothers receiving late or no prenatal care. However, rate of mothers receiving late prenatal care per 1,000 delivering mothers was highest in Florence with a rate of 239. This community was followed by South Central Los Angeles, Compton, and West Compton/Los Angeles County, with rates of 223, 218, and 209 mothers receiving late or no prenatal care per 1,000 delivering mothers.
There were 152 infant deaths (less than one year old) in SPA 6 during 1999. Of these deaths, 24 (16%) were caused by perinatal complications, 23 (15%) were caused by short gestation, 12 (8%) were caused by a respiratory condition, and 9 (6%) were caused by congenital malformation of the heart. The remaining 84 deaths (55%) were caused by other causes. The infant mortality rate in SPA 6 during 1999 was 6.6 per 1,000 live births, while the rate in Los Angeles County was 5 per 1,000 live births.
