Maternal and child health journal
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Matern Child Health J · Dec 2002
Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in unintended pregnancy among postpartum women in California.
We examined social disparities in unintended pregnancy among postpartum women to better understand 1) the role of socioeconomic factors in racial/ethnic disparities and 2) factors that might explain both socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in the risk for unintended pregnancy among women who give birth. ⋯ Racial/ethnic disparities in unintended pregnancy are partly explained by the socioeconomic factors we measured. Several additional factors were identified that suggest possible directions for policies and programs to help reduce social disparities in unintended pregnancy among childbearing women.
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Maternal mortality ratios in the United States are higher than those of many other industrialized nations. Moreover, these ratios have not changed in the past 20 years, and large racial disparities persist in measures of both maternal mortality and morbidity. In an affluent developed country, maternal deaths should serve as rare sentinel events, highlighting opportunities for prevention and reduction of morbidities. However, existing surveillance efforts are poorly developed, and pregnancy-related deaths and illnesses tend to be underreported. To formulate recommendations for improved surveillance, the authors reviewed existing data on maternal health. ⋯ Maternal health remains an important frontier for U.S. public health surveillance efforts. Improved surveillance offers opportunities for reducing pregnancy-related mortality and gaining a better understanding of the relationship between maternal morbidity and mortality.