The Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic With Disparities in Maternal Outcomes
Authors' conclusion
In this national study of 2.5 million deliveries in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in maternal mortality and failure-to-rescue but not in severe maternal morbidity or cesarean deliveries.
Study context
- Population
- US admissions for delivery, Vizient Clinical Database, 2017–2022
- Exposure
- Weekly hospital COVID-19 burden; Black and Hispanic vs White patients
- Outcome
- Maternal outcomes (severe maternal morbidity, mortality, failure-to-rescue, cesarean delivery) by weekly hospital COVID-19 burden
Methodological detailsmultivariable logistic regression, national database (Vizient Clinical Database)
- Multivariable logistic regression
- National database (Vizient Clinical Database)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Maternal outcomes by weekly hospital COVID-19 burden 10.1% to 20.0%
Estimate (95% CI)P value
COVID-19 burden 10.1% to 20.0%
aOR (mortality) 2.72(1.28–5.8)
P = 0.01COVID-19 burden 10.1% to 20.0%
aOR (failure-to-rescue) 2.89(1.36–6.13)
P = 0.01Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Estimate | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe maternal morbidity, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteBlack vs White | OR 1.97 (95% CI 1.85–2.11) | P < 0.001 | |
| Severe maternal morbidity, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteHispanic vs White | OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.28–1.48) | P < 0.001 | |
| Mortality, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteBlack vs White | OR 1.92 (95% CI 1.29–2.86) | P < 0.001 | |
| Mortality, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteHispanic vs White | OR 1.51 (95% CI 1.01–2.24) | P = 0.04 | |
| Cesarean delivery, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteBlack vs White | OR 1.58 (95% CI 1.54–1.63) | P < 0.001 | |
| Cesarean delivery, Black and Hispanic vs WhiteHispanic vs White | OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.05–1.13) | P < 0.001 | |
| Pandemic and disparities: uninsured Black vs privately insured White, per 10% increase in weekly hospital COVID-19 burden (subgroup)Black without insurance vs White with private insurance | aOR (mortality) 1.96 (95% CI 1.22–3.16) | P = 0.01 | |
| Pandemic and disparities: uninsured Black vs privately insured White, per 10% increase in weekly hospital COVID-19 burden (subgroup)Black without insurance vs White with private insurance | aOR (failure-to-rescue) 3.67 (95% CI 1.67–8.07) | P = 0.001 | |
| 0.10.31310Ratio (log scale) |
Cesarean delivery, Black and Hispanic vs White
- Failure-to-rescue not higher in Black or Hispanic patients
Pandemic and disparities: uninsured Black vs privately insured White, per 10% increase in weekly hospital COVID-19 burden (subgroup)
- Except for uninsured Black patients (1.3% of patients), pandemic not associated with increased maternal disparities
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
The Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic With Disparities in Maternal Outcomes. Anesth Analg. Published 22 January 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →