Racial disparities in term induction of labor rates in Illinois.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the increase in the rate of labor induction at term is significantly different among women of different races.


METHODS
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics were used to identify pregnant women with singletons at 37-41 weeks gestation from 1991 to 2003 in Illinois. The independent association between the induction rate at term and maternal race was evaluated using longitudinal regression. Covariates considered were maternal demographic and obstetrical characteristics; those that changed the estimated association between race and induction of labor by at least 20% were included in the final model.


RESULTS
The mean annual induction rates rose significantly during the study period both for the entire population and for each racial group. After adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics, obstetrical risk factors for medically-indicated induction, and for county-level malpractice premium charges, each 1% increase in the proportion of the white and non-white/non-African American populations within a county was associated with significantly higher induction rates (74% and 92%, respectively) in the county.


CONCLUSIONS
Although induction rates have increased for all women, the rate of rise has increased disproportionately among women of non-African American race.
Murthy
Karna
K
Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA. k-murthy@northwestern.edu
Grobman
William A
WA
Lee
Todd A
TA
Holl
Jane L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*