Fetal mortality: timing of racial disparities.
Whether or not racial disparities exist in fetal mortality rate (FMR) statistics depends upon the methodology used to calculate the rates. While there appears to be consensus that there is a black-white disparity in late gestation (> or = 28 weeks), the issue is unclear for early gestation (20-27 weeks). To clarify this issue, we assessed disparities in FMR for singleton fetal deaths and live births between non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites in three counties of Missouri using gestational age- and weight-specific analyses. These analyses demonstrated statistically significant disparities for non-Hispanic whites when fetal deaths occurred < 28 weeks gestation and also at weights < 1,000 g. Statistically significant disparities for non-Hispanic blacks were not evident until gestation was > or = 32 weeks or weights were > or = 2,500 g. The results of these analyses were consistent with each other and suggest that the non-Hispanic black disparity in FMR is a late gestational issue. The lack of disparity for non-Hispanic blacks and the disparity for non-Hispanic whites during earlier gestation or with low weights were associated with the disparate rates for very preterm live birth.
Cai
Jinwen
J
Office of Epidemiology and Community Health Monitoring, Kansas City Health Department, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA.
Hoff
Gerald L
GL
Okah
Felix
F
Dew
Paul C
PC
Zaborac
Gary
G
Somoza
Ximena
X
Jones
Larry
L
Livingston
Paula
P
Everhardt
Mary Jo
MJ
Archer
Rex
R
D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000208:ethnology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008923:Missouri; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People