The root cause of the high incidence of BIM has not been clearly identified. Current literature indicates that neither income, education, maternal age, nor marital status are central factors. There is also strong evidence against a genetic cause. Some of these factors may interact. Some authors speculate that the stress caused by racism may induce physiological changes resulting in a suppression of a black woman's immune system, creating a greater risk of infection.
Further research is needed to increase knowledge about such theories.
In the decades that scientists have been trying to find the root causes of BIM, many theories were offered which later research proved inaccurate. Bear in mind this important distinction. While most of the conditions that are mentioned in these myths are indeed infant mortality risk factors, they do not define the black risk factor. Their presence contributes to but does not account for all of black infant mortality. Infant mortality is higher for blacks because so many black adolescents are giving birth.