Serving the community needs within Minnesota, Healthy Black Pregnancies (“HBP”) is a voice for the pregnancy health of African American people. Healthy Black Pregnancies is one of two community driven efforts supported by the Minnesota Department of Human Services Integrated Care for High Risk Pregnancies (ICHRP) initiative.

Minnesota has some of the nation’s largest gaps in birth results for African Americans and American Indians compared to Whites, of babies born before 37 weeks, low birth weight, (infant born less than 2500 grams or about 5.5 pound), and infant deaths. In 2015, The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) sponsored legislation to improve birth outcomes for both African American and American Indians.

Although low birth weight is often linked to babies that are born too early, and babies that have slower growth while in the womb, it may also be influenced by nutrition, outside influences such as environment, personal experiences or trauma, or the quality of care available during pregnancy. Infants with low birth weight are at a much higher risk of death in their first year.