title: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Preterm Birth Among American Indian and Alaska Native Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preterm birth disproportionately affects American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women. This disparity in birth outcomes may stem from higher levels of exposure to psychosocial, sociodemographic, and medical risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper reviews relevant research related to preterm birth in American Indian and Alaska Native women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This narrative review examines disparities in preterm birth rates between AI/AN and other American women, and addresses several maternal risk factors and barriers that contribute to elevated preterm birth rates among this racial minority group. Additionally, this paper focuses on recent evidence that geographical location can significantly impact preterm birth rates among AI/AN women. In particular, access to care among AI/AN women and differences between rural and urban areas are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, 20024, USA. graglan@acog.org.|Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, 20016, USA. graglan@acog.org.
authors.forename: Greta B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Raglan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Sophia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lannon
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, 20024, USA.|Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, 20024, USA.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Alaska Native; American Indian; Preterm birth; Racial and ethnic disparities; Women’s health