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Why African-American Women Are At Greater Risk For Pregnancy-Related Death, Margaret Harper, Elizabeth Dugan, Mark Espeland, Anibal Martinez-Borges, Cynthia Mcquellon
Why African-American Women Are At Greater Risk For Pregnancy-Related Death, Margaret Harper, Elizabeth Dugan, Mark Espeland, Anibal Martinez-Borges, Cynthia Mcquellon
Elizabeth Dugan
PURPOSE: Our study aim was to identify factors that may contribute to the racial disparity in pregnancy-related mortality.
METHODS: We examined differences in severity of disease, comorbidities, and receipt of care among 608 (304 African-American and 304 white) consecutive patients of non-Hispanic ethnicity with one of three pregnancy-related morbidities (pregnancy-related hypertension, puerperal infection, and hemorrhage) from hospitals selected at random from a statewide region.
RESULTS: African-American women had more severe hypertension, lower hemoglobin concentrations preceding hemorrhage, more antepartum hospital admissions, and a higher rate of obesity. The rate of surgical intervention for hemorrhage was lower among African-Americans, although the severity …