Recommended Citation
Ismailova I, Sokol RJ, Gudicha DW, Hasbini YG, Tarca AL, Green PM, Jones T, Goyert G, Thiel L, Youssef Y, Townsel C, Vengalil S, Paladino P, Wright A, Ayyash M, Vadlamudi G, Szymanska M, Sajja S, Sterenberg G, Baracy Jr M, Grace K, Houston K, Norman J, Bahado-Singh R, and Hassan SS. Racial Disparities and Risk for COVID-19 Among Pregnant Patients: Results from the Michigan Statewide Collaborative. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226(1):S192.
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
1-1-2022
Publication Title
Am J Obstet Gynecol
Abstract
Objective: Previous studies have looked at COVID-19 outcomes in pregnancy and racial disparities among patients with COVID-19, but few have studied racial disparities among pregnant patients with COVID-19. Our goal in this study is to analyze the relationship between race and disparate COVID-19 risk in pregnancy.
Study Design: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on data collected as part of the COVID-19 in Pregnancy and The Newborn: State of Michigan Collaborative, a database of pregnant patients admitted to 14 institutions in Southern Michigan. Cases were defined as patients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Controls, those with suspicion of COVID-19 prior to universal screening or a negative PCR test, were matched to cases on the same unit within 30 days of each case. For this analysis, the two primary groups of interest were non-Hispanic Black (Black) vs. non-Hispanic White (White) patients. Potential covariates were age, body mass index (BMI), chronic hypertension, diabetes, asthma, substance use, and smoking; the dependent variable was COVID/non-COVID in a robust Poisson regression model. In addition, 18 symptoms and disease severity (mild/moderate/severe) were compared between the Black and White groups using the same statistical method.
Results: Of 1,131 gravidas, 42.9%(n=485) were Black. These patients were at two-fold greater risk for COVID-19 compared with their White counterparts [35.9% vs. 18.3%, RR=1.96(1.6-2.4)]. After adjusting for obesity and diabetes, the risk of COVID-19 in Black patients remained higher compared to the risk among White patients (aRR=2.46 [1.87-3.24]). There were no differences in symptoms nor severity of disease presentation between the groups.
Conclusion: In our population, Black patients are more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. This finding is not explained by a range of covariates. Other factors, such as social determinants of health, may be important to understand this disparity and warrant further examination.
Volume
226
Issue
10
First Page
S192
