Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Morbidities: A Statewide Study of Labor and Delivery Hospitalizations in Wisconsin

• DOI: 10.1007/s10995-011-0914-6
• Publication Date: 2011-11-21T14:18:06Z
• Authors: Erwin T. Cabacungan; Emmanuel M. Ngui; Emily L. McGinley
• Keywords: Adult; Labor, Obstetric; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; Adolescent; Asian; Pregnancy Outcome; Infant; Middle Aged; Delivery, Obstetric; White People; Obstetric Labor Complications; 3. Good health; Black or African American; Hospitalization; 03 medical and health sciences; Logistic Models; 0302 clinical medicine; Socioeconomic Factors; Pregnancy; Humans; Female; Morbidity; Retrospective Studies

We examined racial/ethnic disparities in maternal morbidities (MM) and the number of MM during labor and delivery among hospital discharges in Wisconsin. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospital discharge data for 206,428 pregnant women aged 13-53 years using 2005-2007 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Dataset (HCUP-SID) for Wisconsin. After adjustments for covariates, MM (preterm labor, antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage, hypertension in pregnancy, gestational diabetes, membrane-related disorders, infections and 3rd and 4th perineal lacerations) were examined using logistic regression models, and number of MM (0, 1, 2, >2 MM) were examined using multivariable ordered logistic regressions with partial proportional odds models. African-Americans had significantly higher likelihood of infections (OR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.60-1.89), preterm labor (OR = 1.42; 1.33-1.50), antepartum hemorrhage (OR = 1.63; 1.44-1.83), and hypertension complicating pregnancy (OR = 1.39; 1.31-1.48) compared to Whites. Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans had significantly higher likelihood of infections, postpartum hemorrhage, and gestational diabetes than Whites. Major perineal lacerations were significantly higher among Asian/Pacific Islanders (OR = 1.53; 1.34-1.75). All minority racial/ethnic groups, except Asians, had significantly higher likelihood of having 0 versus 1, 2 or >2 MM, 0 or 1 versus 2 or >2 MM, and 0, 1 or 2 versus >2 MM than white women. Findings show significant racial/ethnic disparities in MM, and suggest the need for better screening, management, and timely referral of these conditions, particularly among racial/ethnic women. Disparities in MM may be contributing to the high infant mortality and adverse birth outcomes among different racial/ethnic groups in Wisconsin.