A short interval between pregnancies is a risk factor for low birth weight and preterm delivery, and such intervals are more common among black than among white women. The relative frequency of intervals of less than nine months between pregnancies may be an important factor in the wide disparity in pregnancy outcomes between white and black women in the United States.
Summary. To examine the association between interpregnancy interval and low birthweight (5 2500 g), preterm delivery (5 37 weeks' gestation), and inadequate fetal growth, we studied a population-based sample of 23 388 white and 4885 black women at low risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes who delivered their first and second infants in Georgia from 1980 to 1992. We used fetal death and livebirth certificates. The interpregnancy interval was the time from delivery to the woman's next conception. For each pregnancy outcome, we stratified by race and used logistic regression to assess the association between interpregnancy interval and outcome, while controlling for confounders. Intervals 56 months were observed for 3.7% of white women and 7.0% of black women and intervals 5 48 months were seen for 16.8% of white women and 24.8% of black women. Results from logistic regression showed that, for both races, interpregnancy interval was associated with low birthweight and preterm delivery. Nearly all of the increased risk occurred in intervals 5 6 months or 5 48 months. The magnitude of the increase in risk associated with these intervals ranged from modest to moderate and was similar for black and white women. Because short interpregnancy intervals are rare and are weak risk factors among low-risk women, efforts to lengthen interpregnancy intervals are unlikely to reduce substantially their rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Background-Similar to the well-documented racial inequities in health status, disease burden, healthcare access, and hospitalization, studies have generally found higher rates of hospitalization due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions for blacks compared to whites. Beyond identifying disparity in rates of disease or risks of hospitalization, identifying disparity in age at hospitalization may provide deeper insight into the social and economic consequences of disparities on individuals, families, and communities.
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