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Published on: January 12, 2018
Adverse Maternal Outcome Disparities in a Clinically Low-risk Cohort
Gabriella Mayne1, Natalie Taylor Simon2, Kevin Flores3
1University of Colorado Denver, Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, United States, Denver.
American Journal of Perinatology
|July 27, 2026
Summary
Racial disparities in adverse maternal outcomes (AMO) persist even in low-risk groups. Non-Hispanic Asian patients experienced the highest AMO rates, highlighting the need for disaggregated data to reveal hidden inequities in maternal health.
Area of Science:
- Maternal Health
- Health Equity
- Public Health Research
Background:
- Maternal health in the U.S. shows persistent racial and ethnic disparities, even in low-risk populations.
- Aggregate reporting of health outcomes can obscure significant inequities.
- Understanding these disparities requires detailed, disaggregated data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine adverse maternal outcomes (AMO) in clinically low-risk patients stratified by race/ethnicity.
- To assess if area-level social vulnerability differs across geographic patterns of AMO.
- To identify racial/ethnic inequities masked by aggregate reporting.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 7,691 patients receiving intrapartum care (2013-2018).
- Evaluation of AMO, including severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and other complications.
- Stratification of outcomes by race/ethnicity and comparison using statistical tests.
- Assessment of area-level social vulnerability indicators using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Main Results:
- Adverse maternal outcomes (AMO), but not severe maternal morbidity (SMM), varied significantly by race/ethnicity.
- Non-Hispanic Asian patients had the highest AMO rates (38%), with over double the odds compared to non-Hispanic White patients.
- Area-level social vulnerability indicators did not differ between zip codes with the highest and lowest AMO prevalence.
Conclusions:
- Racial and ethnic disparities in adverse maternal outcomes persist within clinically low-risk cohorts.
- Disaggregated reporting is crucial for uncovering inequities in maternal health that aggregate data may conceal.
- Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address specific disparities identified through detailed analysis.
