Race-Specific Risk for Placental Abruption
Author Information
Author(s): Shen Tammy T, DeFranco Emily A, Stamilio David M, Chang Jen Jen, Muglia Louis J
Primary Institution: Washington University in St. Louis
Hypothesis
Race is associated with the risk of placental abruption at specific gestational ages, with a greater contribution of placental abruption to the increased risk of preterm birth in Black mothers compared to White mothers.
Conclusion
Black women have an increased risk of placental abruption compared to White women, especially at earlier gestational ages.
Supporting Evidence
- 1.02% of Black births were complicated by placental abruption compared to 0.71% of White births.
- The risk of placental abruption for Black mothers increased with younger gestational age categories.
- Black mothers were almost twice as likely to have placental abruption with extreme preterm birth.
Takeaway
This study found that Black mothers are more likely to experience placental abruption than White mothers, particularly when giving birth very early.
Methodology
A population-based cohort study using the Missouri Department of Health's maternally-linked database of all births in Missouri from 1989 to 1997.
Potential Biases
Recall bias may affect the accuracy of reported social habits and prenatal care.
Limitations
Possible sources of bias include measurement error, recall bias, and exclusion of fetal deaths, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The cohort included 108,806 births to Black mothers and 555,497 births to White mothers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.22–1.43
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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