Invited commentary: the socioeconomic causes of adverse birth outcomes

Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Jul 15;172(2):135-7; discussion 138-9. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq107. Epub 2010 Jun 24.

Abstract

Weathering-the cumulative burden of adverse psychosocial and economic circumstances on the bodies of minority women-has been repeatedly described in epidemiologic studies. The most common application has been the documentation of rapidly increasing risks of adverse birth outcomes as African-American women age. Previous work has been based largely on cross-sectional data that aggregate women across a variety of socioeconomic circumstances. When more specific information about women's life-course socioeconomic status is taken into account, however, heterogeneity in the weathering experience of African-American women becomes more readily apparent. Adverse birth outcome risk trajectories with advancing age for African-American women who reside in wealthier neighborhoods look much more similar to those of white women. The accompanying article by Love et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(2):127-134) provides a more nuanced investigation of the social conditions that contribute to the weathering of African-American women and points to the critical role played by social and economic conditions over the life course in producing adverse birth outcome disparities.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Status Disparities*
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome / ethnology*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Sociology, Medical