Social Determinants of Pregnancy-Related Mortality and Morbidity in the United States: A Systematic Review
2020
This article from Obstetrics & Gynecology discusses social determinants of health and their effects on pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity in the United States. The authors conducted a literature review and specifically considered pregnancy-related death, severe maternal morbidity, emergency hospitalizations, and readmissions as adverse maternal outcomes. They analyzed 83 studies: 78 examined socioeconomic position or individual factors, 58 studies had positive findings demonstrating evidence of associations between minority race and ethnicity, and several discussed insurance coverage, education levels, and incidence of death and morbidity. The authors noted that while these studies do provide evidence for the role of social determinants such as race and ethnicity, insurance, and education in pregnancy-related adverse outcomes, additional research is needed for complete analysis.
Source:
Wang E et al. Social Determinants of Pregnancy-Related Mortality and Morbidity in the United States: A Systematic Review. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2020; 135(4): 896-915. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0000000000003762.