Andrea TilstraThere is a rich literature on racism in the US healthcare system, and we've learned from many folks how this can manifest in childbirth.
In a new paper, out in @JofHSB, we add to this conversation and look at population-level labor induction rates.
We're not the first to examine structural racism & childbirth. We learned from the work of many others. Without their research, frameworks, & definitions, this work would not be possible. Any misrepresentation of their work falls on us alone.
In a nutshell, we show:
Normative obstetric care has been responding to the needs/prefs of the white childbearing pop.
That is, changes in the demographic characteristics and risk factors of white pop are driving the rising use of induction of labor for all racial/ethnic pops.
Two pieces of evidence to show this:
(1) increases in IOL to white childbearing population are explained by changes in risk factors among white childbearing population (and not by changes among other races/ethnicities).
(2) But, increases in IOL among the Black childbearing pop. are not explained by changes in risk factors among their own population;
...Rather these increases are partially explained by changes in risk factors among white childbearing populations.
...Rather these increases are partially explained by changes in risk factors among white childbearing populations.
Lisa Marshall (@CUBoulder) wrote a summary piece on this in CU Boulder Today. She syncs our work with some scholars that we learned from, including Dána-Ain Davis.
I recommend checking it out:
‘Obstetric racism’ prevalent in US, fueling rise in questionable labor inductions
The study of 46 million births across nearly three decades is among the first to provide population-level statistical evidence of “obstetric racism,” a term coined recently to describe a concerning pattern of maltreatment of non-white pregnant women, including a disregard for their birthing wishes.
Stuck at a paywall? Questions? Critiques? Don't hesitate to email me, or others on the authorship team.