A Comparison of Birth Outcomes Among Black, Hispanic, and Black Hispanic Women

Abstract

Background While non-Hispanic Black populations tend to be disproportionately affected by adverse reproductive outcomes, Hispanic populations tend to demonstrate healthier birth outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic background. Little is known about birth outcomes for women who are both Black and Hispanic. We examined whether birth outcomes and risk factors for women who are both Black and Hispanic most closely resemble those of women who are only Black or Hispanic and also compared these outcomes to those for Whites. Methods Using the 2013 US natality files, we examined 2,970,315 singleton births to Black Hispanic, Hispanic, Black, and White mothers. We used logistic regression to calculate predicted probabilities of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), or small for gestational age (SGA). Race-stratified regression analysis was used to identify the factors that significantly predicted risk for each outcome for each racial/ethnic group. Results Black mothers had the highest prevalence and predicted probabilities of experiencing all three outcomes. Black Hispanic mothers were less likely than Black mothers and more likely than Hispanic mothers to experience each of the adverse outcomes. We also found support for racial variation in risk and protective factors for mothers in the different groups. Factors like age and education inconsistently predicted risk of experiencing the birth outcomes for all groups. Overall, Black Hispanic mothers had birth outcomes and risk factor profiles like Hispanic mothers, although they had sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors like Black mothers. Conclusions Patterning of birth outcomes among Black Hispanic women suggest an intersection of risk and protective factors associated with their respective racial and ethnic identities. Additional information about sociodemographic context is needed to develop a more complete picture of how factors related to race and ethnic group membership influence Black Hispanic women’s birth outcomes.

Black–White and Country of Birth Disparities in Retention in HIV Care and Viral Suppression among Latinos with HIV in Florida, 2015

“…Our findings are also inconsistent with reports suggesting that Black Latinos resemble non-Latino Blacks in access to care [38]. Furthermore, racial disparities among Latinos have been documented in delayed HIV diagnosis [15], and in non-HIV related outcomes, including birth outcomes [39]. Our study did show marginally significant disparities in viral load suppression, with Black Latinos exhibiting increased odds of non–viral suppression.…”

Low Birth Weight Among Infants Born to Black Latina Women in the United States

“…The observed differences in LBW rates for White and Black Latina women are consistent with reports by Henry-Sanchez and Geronimus ( 2013 ), who found that LBW rates of White Latina and Black Latina women were 5.2% and 8.7% (respectively) in 1989–1990, and 5.3% and 8.4% (respectively) in 1995–1999, and Bediako et al ( 2015 ), who found that, after adjusting for sociodemographic and medical risk factors, Black Latinas were more likely than non-Black Latinas and less likely than non-Latina Blacks to give birth to LBW infants. Bediako did not consider maternal nativity as a covariate; although Henry-Sanchez et al included maternal nativity as a covariate, they did not report separate results for US- and foreign-born women.…”

“…In a 1993 study among Massachusetts Blacks by ethnic group, Black Latinas’ LBW rates were lower than non-Latina Blacks but significantly higher than non-Latina Whites (Friedman et al 1993 ). Reichman and Kenney ( 1998 ), in their study of racially diverse Latinas in New Jersey, and, more recently, Bediako et al ( 2015 ), in a larger, population-based study, found higher LBW prevalences for Black Latinas compared to White Latinas, with highest prevalence for non-Latina Blacks (Reichman and Kenney 1998 ; Bediako et al 2015 ). Two additional studies addressed birth outcomes in Black Latinas but appeared in social science journals.…”

Maternal veterinary occupation and adverse birth outcomes in Washington State, 1992–2014: a population-based retrospective cohort study

“…WIC benefits and maternal education were selected as indicators of socioeconomic status (SES), and previous poor pregnancy outcome was selected as a proxy for unknown medical factors causally associated with outcome. The other potential confounders—age,23 race and ethnicity,24 marital status,25 smoking,26 obesity,27 high parity28 and diabetes mellitus29—have been demonstrated to be risk factors for adverse birth outcomes.…”