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Research has indicated that social support is a major buffer of postpartum depression. Yet little is known concerning women’s perceptions on social support during the postpartum period. The objective of this study was to explore postpartum women’s views and experiences with social support following childbirth. Four focus groups were conducted with an ethnically diverse sample of women (n = 33) in a large urban teaching hospital in New York City. Participants had completed participation in a postpartum depression randomized trial and were 6–12 months postpartum. Data transcripts were reviewed and analyzed for themes. The main themes identified in the focus group discussions were mother’s major needs and challenges postpartum, social support expectations and providers of support, how mothers mobilize support, and barriers to mobilizing support. Women across all groups identified receipt of instrumental support as essential to their physical and emotional recovery. Support from partners and families was expected and many women believed this support should be provided without asking. Racial/ethnic differences existed in the way women from different groups mobilized support from their support networks. Instrumental support plays a significant role in meeting women’s basic needs during the postpartum period. In addition, women’s expectations surrounding support can have an impact on their ability to mobilize support among their social networks. The results of this study suggest that identifying support needs and expectations of new mothers is important for mothers’ recovery after childbirth. Future postpartum depression prevention efforts should integrate a strong focus on social support.

Recent national and state legislation has called attention to stark racial/ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity (SMM), the latter of which is defined as having a lifethreatening condition or life-saving procedure during childbirth. Using linked New York City birth and hospitalization data for 2012-14, we examined whether racial and economic spatial polarization is associated with SMM rates, and whether the delivery hospital partially explains the association. Women in ZIP codes with the highest concentration of poor blacks relative to wealthy whites experienced 4.0 cases of SMM per 100 deliveries, compared with 1.7 cases per 100 deliveries among women in the neighborhoods with the lowest concentration (risk difference = 2.4 cases per 100). Thirty-five percent of this difference was attributable to the delivery hospital. Women in highly polarized neighborhoods were most likely to deliver in hospitals located in similarly polarized neighborhoods. Housing policy that targets racial and economic spatial polarization may address a root cause of SMM, while hospital quality improvement may mitigate the impact of such polarization.

To better understand age-related disparities in US maternal mortality, we analyzed 2016–2017 vital statistics mortality data with cause-of-death literal text (actual words written on the death certificate) added. We created a subset of confirmed maternal deaths which had pregnancy mentions in the cause-of-death literals. Primary cause of death was identified and recoded using cause-of-death literals. Age-related disparities were examined both overall and by primary cause. Compared to women <35, the 2016–2017 US maternal mortality rate was twice as high for women aged 35–39, four times higher for women aged 40–44, and 11 times higher for women aged 45–54 years. Obstetric hemorrhage was the leading cause of death for women aged 35+ with rates 4 times higher than for women <35, followed by postpartum cardiomyopathy with a 3-fold greater risk. Obstetric embolism, eclampsia/preeclampsia, and Other complications of obstetric surgery and procedures each had a two-fold greater risk of death for women aged 35+. Together these 5 causes of death accounted for 70.9% of the elevated maternal mortality risk for women aged 35+. The excess maternal mortality risk for women aged 35+ was focused among a few causes of death and much of this excess mortality is preventable. Early detection and treatment, as well as continued care during the postpartum year is critical to preventing these deaths. The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health has promulgated patient safety bundles with specific interventions that health care systems can adopt in an effort to prevent these deaths.

We examined the relationship between obstetrical intervention and preterm birth in the United States between 2014 and 2019. This observational study analyzed 2014–2019 US birth data to assess changes in preterm birth, cesarean delivery, induction of labor, and associated risks. Logistic regression modeled the odds of preterm obstetrical intervention (no labor cesarean or induction) after risk adjustment. The percentage of singleton preterm births in the United States increased by 9.4% from 2014–2019. The percent of singleton, preterm births delivered by cesarean increased by 6.0%, while the percent with induction of labor increased by 39.1%. The percentage of singleton preterm births where obstetrical intervention (no labor cesarean or induction) potentially impacted the gestational age at delivery increased from 47.6% in 2014 to 54.9% in 2019. Preterm interventions were 13% more likely overall in 2019 compared to 2014 and 17% more likely among late preterm births, after controlling for demographic and medical risk factors. Compared to non-Hispanic White women, Non-Hispanic Black women had a higher risk of preterm obstetric interventions. Preterm infants have higher morbidity and mortality rates than term infants, thus any increase in the preterm birth rate is concerning. A renewed effort to understand the trends in preterm interventions is needed to ensure that obstetrical interventions are evidence-based and are limited to those cases where they optimize outcomes for both mothers and babies.

To explore important domains of women’s postpartum experiences as perceived by postpartum mothers and obstetricians/midwives, and to investigate how postpartum care could enhance patient preparation for the postpartum period. Qualitative research study was conducted to explore women’s and clinicians’ perceptions of the postpartum experience. Four focus groups of postpartum women (n = 45) and two focus groups of obstetric clinicians (n = 13) were held at a large urban teaching hospital in New York City. All focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory. Four main themes were identified: lack of women’s knowledge about postpartum health and lack of preparation for the postpartum experience, lack of continuity of care and absence of maternal care during the early postpartum period, disconnect between providers and postpartum mothers, and suggestions for improvement. Mothers did not expect many of the symptoms they experienced after childbirth and were disappointed with the lack of support by providers during this critical time in their recovery. Differences existed in the major postpartum concerns of mothers and clinicians. However, both mothers and clinicians agreed that preparation during the antepartum period could be beneficial for postpartum recovery. Results from this study indicate that many mothers do not feel prepared for the postpartum experience. Study findings raise the hypothesis that capturing patient-centered domains that define the postpartum experience and integrating these domains into patient care may enhance patient preparation for postpartum recovery and improve postpartum outcomes.

Objectives. To better understand racial and ethnic disparities in US maternal mortality. Methods. We analyzed 2016–2017 vital statistics mortality data with cause-of-death literals (actual words written on the death certificate) added. We created a subset of confirmed maternal deaths that had pregnancy mentions in the cause-of-death literals. Primary cause of death was identified and recoded using cause-of-death literals. We examined racial and ethnic disparities both overall and by primary cause. Results. The maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 3.55 times that for non-Hispanic White women. Leading causes of maternal death for non-Hispanic Black women were eclampsia and preeclampsia and postpartum cardiomyopathy with rates 5 times those for non-Hispanic White women. Non-Hispanic Black maternal mortality rates from obstetric embolism and obstetric hemorrhage were 2.3 to 2.6 times those for non-Hispanic White women. Together, these 4 causes accounted for 59% of the non-Hispanic Black‒non-Hispanic White maternal mortality disparity. Conclusions. The prominence of cardiovascular-related conditions among the leading causes of confirmed maternal death, particularly for non-Hispanic Black women, necessitates increased vigilance for cardiovascular problems during the pregnant and postpartum period. Many of these deaths are preventable.

In the United States, maternal health inequities disproportionately affect Global Majority (e.g., Asian, Black, and Hispanic) populations. Despite a substantial body of research underscoring the influence of racism on these inequities, little research has examined how experiences of gendered racial microaggressions during pregnancy and birth impact racially and ethnically diverse Global Majority pregnant and birthing people in obstetric hospital settings. We evaluated the psychometric properties of an adapted version of Lewis & Neville’s Gendered Racial Microaggressions Scale, using data collected from 417 Global Majority birthing people. Findings from our study indicate that our adapted GRMS is a valid tool for assessing the experiences of gendered racial microaggressions in hospital-based obstetric care settings among Global Majority pregnant and birthing people whose preferred languages are English or Spanish. Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis demonstrated high construct validity of the adapted GRMS scale (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.1089 (95% CI 0.0921, 0.1263), Comparative Fit Index = 0.977, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual = 0.075, log-likelihood c2 = -85.6, df = 8). IRT analyses demonstrated that the unidimensional model was preferred to the bi-dimensional model as it was more interpretable, had lower AIC and BIC, and all items had large discrimination parameters onto a single factor (all discrimination parameters > 3.0). Given that we found similar response profiles among Black and Hispanic respondents, our Differential Item Functioning analyses support validity among Black, Hispanic, and Spanish-speaking birthing people. Inter-item correlations demonstrated adequate scale reliability, α = 0.97, and empirical reliability = 0.67. Pearsons correlations was used to assess the criterion validity of our adapted scale. Our scale’s total score was significantly and positively related to postpartum depression and anxiety. Researchers and practitioners should seek to address instances of gendered racial microaggressions in obstetric settings, as they are manifestations of systemic and interpersonal racism, and impact postpartum health.

Objective Exclusive breastmilk feeding during the delivery hospitalization, a Joint Commission indicator of perinatal care quality, is associated with longer-term breastfeeding success. Marked racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding exclusivity and duration existed prior to COVID-19. The pandemic, accompanied by uncertainty regarding intrapartum and postpartum safety practices, may have influenced disparities in infant feeding practices. Our objective was to examine whether the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City was associated with a change in racial and ethnic disparities in exclusive breastmilk feeding during the delivery stay. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of electronic medical records from 14,964 births in two New York City hospitals. We conducted a difference-in-differences (DID) analysis to compare Black-white, Latina-white, and Asian-white disparities in exclusive breastmilk feeding in a pandemic cohort (April 1-July 31, 2020, n =3122 deliveries) to disparities in a pre-pandemic cohort (January 1, 2019-February 28, 2020, n =11,842). We defined exclusive breastmilk feeding as receipt of only breastmilk during delivery hospitalization, regardless of route of administration. We ascertained severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection status from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests from nasopharyngeal swab at admission. For each DID model (e.g. Black-white disparity), we used covariate-adjusted log binomial regression models to estimate racial and ethnic risk differences, pandemic versus pre-pandemic cohort risk differences, and an interaction term representing the DID estimator. Results Exclusive breastmilk feeding increased from pre-pandemic to pandemic among white (40.8% to 46.6%, p <0.001) and Asian (27.9% to 35.8%, p =0.004) women, but not Black (22.6% to 25.3%, p =0.275) or Latina (20.1% to 21.4%, p =0.515) women overall. There was an increase in the Latina-white exclusive breastmilk feeding disparity associated with the pandemic (DID estimator=6.3 fewer cases per 100 births (95% CI=-10.8, -1.9)). We found decreased breastmilk feeding specifically among SARS-CoV-2 positive Latina women (20.1% pre-pandemic vs. 9.1% pandemic p =0.013), and no change in Black-white or Asian-white disparities. Conclusions We observed a pandemic-related increase in the Latina-white disparity in exclusive breastmilk feeding, urging hospital policies and programs to increase equity in breastmilk feeding and perinatal care quality during and beyond this health emergency.

Racism, segregation, and inequality contribute to health outcomes and drive health disparities across the life course, including for newborn infants and their families. In this review, we address their effects on the health and well-being of newborn infants and their families with a focus on preterm birth. We discuss three causal pathways: increased risk; lower-quality care; and socioeconomic disadvantages that persist into infancy, childhood, and beyond. For each pathway, we propose specific interventions and research priorities that may remedy the adverse effects of racism, segregation, and inequality. Infants and their families will not realize the full benefit of advances in perinatal and neonatal care until we, collectively, accept our responsibility for addressing the range of determinants that shape long-term outcomes.

Background: Black and Latina women in New York City are twice as likely to experi­ence a potentially life-threatening morbid­ity during childbirth than White women. Health care quality is thought to play a role in this stark disparity, and patient-provider communication is one aspect of health care quality targeted for improvement. Perceived health care discrimination may influence patient-provider communication but has not been adequately explored during the birth hospitalization.Purpose: Our objective was to investi­gate the impact of perceived racial-ethnic discrimination on patient-provider com­munication among Black and Latina women giving birth in a hospital setting.Methods: We conducted four focus groups of Black and Latina women (n=27) who gave birth in the past year at a large hospital in New York City. Moderators of concordant race/ethnicity asked a series of questions on the women’s experiences and interactions with health care providers during their birth hospitalizations. One group was conducted in Spanish. We used an integrative analytic approach. We used the behavioral model for vulnerable populations adapted for critical race theory as a starting conceptual model. Two analysts deductively coded transcripts for emergent themes, using con­stant comparison method to reconcile and refine code structure. Codes were catego­rized into themes and assigned to concep­tual model categories.Results: Predisposing patient factors in our conceptual model were intersectional identities (eg, immigrant/Latina or Black/ Medicaid recipient), race consciousness (“… as a woman of color, if I am not assertive, if I am not willing to ask, then they will not make an effort to answer”), and socially assigned race (eg, “what you look like, how you talk”). We classified themes of differential treatment as impeding factors, which included factors overlooked in previ­ous research, such as perceived differential treatment due to the relationship with the infant’s father and room assignment. Themes for differential treatment co-oc­curred with negative provider communica­tion attributes (eg, impersonal, judgmental) or experience (eg, not listened to, given low priority, preferences not respected).Conclusions: Perceived racial-ethnic discrimination during childbirth influences patient-provider communication and is an important and potentially modifiable aspect of the patient experience. Interventions to reduce obstetric health care disparities should address perceived discrimination, both from the provider and patient per­spectives.Ethn Dis. 2020;30(4):533-542;doi:10.18865/ed.30.4.533