Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Pregnancy-Related Morbidity and Mortality

Rebecca D Minehart; Allison S Bryant; Jaleesa Jackson; Jaime L Daly

doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2020.11.005

Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Pregnancy-Related Morbidity and Mortality

Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2021 Mar;48(1):31-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2020.11.005.

Authors

Rebecca D Minehart¹, Allison S Bryant², Jaleesa Jackson³, Jaime L Daly⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 440, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: rminehart@mgh.harvard.edu.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Founders 4, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/asbryantmantha.
³ Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 440, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/jjacksonMD.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Hospital, 12605 East 16th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

PMID: 33573789
DOI: 10.1016/j.ogc.2020.11.005

Abstract

Racism in America has deep roots that impact maternal health, particularly through pervasive inequities among Black women as compared with White, although other racial and ethnic groups also suffer. Health care providers caring for pregnant women are optimally positioned to maintain vigilance for these disparities in maternal care, and to intervene with their diverse skillsets and knowledge. By increasing awareness of how structural racism drives inequities in health, these providers can encourage hospitals and practices to develop and implement national bundles for patient safety, and use bias training and team-based training practices aimed at improving care for racially diverse mothers.

Keywords: Maternal mortality; Obstetric anesthesia; Obstetrics; Racial disparities; Severe maternal morbidity.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Black or African American
Delivery, Obstetric / mortality
Ethnicity*
Female
Healthcare Disparities*
Hospitals
Humans
Maternal Health Services
Maternal Health*
Maternal Mortality / ethnology*
Morbidity
Patient Safety
Pregnancy
Racism*
United States
White People