Maternal Differences and Birth Outcome Disparities: Diversity Within a High-Risk Prenatal Clinic

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We examined the influence of race/ethnicity on appointment attendance, maternal psychiatric and medical diagnoses, and birth outcomes within a diverse, low income, high risk pregnant population to determine whether birth outcome disparities would be lessened in a sample with high biopsychosocial risk across all groups.METHODS: Data were retrospectively obtained on all women scheduled for appointments in the San Francisco Genera Hospital (SFGH) High-Risk Obstetrics (HROB) clinic during a three-month period. General linear model and logistic regression procedures were used to examine the associations of race/ethnicity with maternal characteristics, clinic attendance, and birth outcomes.RESULTS: Our sample included 202 maternal-infant pairs (Hispanic 57%, Black 16%, Asian 15%, White 12%). Racial/ethnic differences were seen in language (p < .001), gravidity (p < .001), parity (p = .005), appointment attendance (p < .001), diabetes (p = .005), psychiatric diagnosis (p = .02), illicit drug use (p < .001), smoking (p