Racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery-related charges among women with intellectual and developmental disabilities

BACKGROUND

Women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the USA are bearing children at increasing rates. However, very little is known whether racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery-related charges exist in this population. This study investigated racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes and labour and delivery-related charges among women with IDD.

METHODS

The study employed secondary analysis of the 2004-2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer, publicly available US inpatient healthcare database. Hierarchical mixed-effect logistic and linear regression models were used to compare the study outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 2110 delivery-associated hospitalisations among women with IDD including 1275 among non-Hispanic White women, 527 among non-Hispanic Black women and 308 among Hispanic women. We found significant disparities in stillbirth among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women with IDD compared with their non-Hispanic White peers [odds ratio = 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-5.28, P < 0.01 and odds ratio = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.08-5.92, P < 0.01, respectively]. There were no racial and ethnic disparities in caesarean delivery, preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age neonates among women with IDD. The average labour and delivery-related charges for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women with IDD ($18 889 and $22 481, respectively) exceeded those for non-Hispanic White women with IDD ($14 886) by $4003 and $7595 or by 27% and 51%, respectively. The significant racial and ethnic differences in charges persisted even after controlling for a range of individual-level and institutional-level characteristics and were 6% (ln(β) = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.11, P < 0.05) and 9% (ln(β) = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03-0.14, P < 0.01) higher for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women with IDD compared with non-Hispanic White women with IDD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the need for an integrated approach to the delivery of comprehensive perinatal services for racial and ethnic minority women with IDD to reduce their risk of having a stillbirth. Additionally, further research is needed to examine the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in hospital charges for labour and delivery admission among women with IDD and ascertain whether price discrimination exists based on patients' racial or ethnic identities.

Expression of inflammatory markers in women with perinatal depressive symptoms

Perinatal depression affects 10-20% of women and is associated with poor outcomes for mother and child. Inflammation is associated with depression in non-pregnant adults. Perinatal depression and inflammation in pregnancy are independently associated with morbidities including obesity, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. The role of inflammation in perinatal depression has received little attention. We hypothesized an association between self-reported perinatal depressive symptoms and serum inflammatory biomarkers TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and CRP. 110 healthy gravidas were recruited in third trimester from an academic medical center, with a baseline study visit at a mean of 32.5 (SD ± 1.8) weeks gestational age. Sixty-three participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and provided demographic information and serum samples upon enrollment and at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Serum inflammatory markers were quantified by multiplex array. Multiple linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate trends of biomarkers with the EPDS score in the third trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Elevated serum TNF-α was associated with lower EPDS total score (β = - 0.90, p = 0.046) after adjusting for demographics and medication use. In contrast, IL-6, CRP, and IL-1β did not demonstrate statistically significant associations with depressive symptoms by the EPDS in either crude or adjusted models. Study findings showed no association or an inverse (TNF-α) association between inflammatory markers and perinatal depressive symptoms. Relevant literature evaluating a role for inflammation in depression in the unique context of pregnancy is both limited and inconsistent, and further exploration is merited.

Weight gain in early pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among Latinas

AIM

To evaluate the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) in early pregnancy and incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among Latinas.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2039 Latinas using pooled data from two medical centres in Massachusetts. Gestational weights were abstracted from medical records and GWG was categorized as low, appropriate and excessive according to 2009 Institute of Medicine Guidelines. Diagnosis of AGT and GDM was confirmed by study obstetricians.

RESULTS

A total of 143 women (7.0%) were diagnosed with GDM and 354 (17.4%) with AGT. After adjusting for age and study site, women with low GWG up to the time of GDM screen had a lower odds of GDM (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.92). Among overweight women, women with excessive first-trimester GWG had 2-fold higher odds of AGT (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.17-3.30) and GDM (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.04-4.12) compared to those with appropriate GWG; however, these findings were not significant among normal weight or obese women.

CONCLUSION

Among Latinas, low GWG up to the time of GDM screen was associated with lower odds of AGT and GDM, while excessive GWG among overweight women was associated with higher odds. Findings highlight need for interventions in early pregnancy to help women meet GWG guidelines and to moderate GWG among overweight Latinas.