title: Disparity in maternal mortality in New York City.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe maternal deaths and 10-year trends in maternal mortality in New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  All maternal deaths reported by surveillance of vital records (bearing ICD-9 codes 630-676) in New York City between 1989 and 1998 were studied. Were viewed death certificates and medical and autopsy records to collect age, race/ethnicity, country of birth, marital status, education level, residence at time of death, cause of death, and outcome of pregnancy. Trends analysis for maternal mortality rates was conducted, stratified by race. We conducted univariate and multivariate analysis to identify risk factors for maternal death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred forty-three maternal deaths were reported, for an average maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 18.4 deaths per 100,000 live births during this period. Although the overall MMR decreased from 17.4 in 1989 to 13.7 in 1998, the MMR varied widely during the period with a non significant trend (x2 for trend 2.09, p=.15). However, the individual MMR for whites and blacks decreased significantly from 1989 to 1998. The black-white MMR ratio remained high throughout this period and varied from 2.2 in 1994 to 14.8 in 1998. Women who were 35 years of age or older or non-Hispanic black had an increased risk of a pregnancy-related death. The leading causes of death were hemorrhage, embolism, and infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Racial disparity in maternal mortality is a cause for concern in New York City. Further studies of maternal mortality are needed to develop interventions to reduce the MMR and the black-white gap.
authors.affiliation: Office of Family Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, USA.
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.forename: Kai-Lih
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laraque
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*