Negative pregnancy outcomes highly associated among incarcerated women

Among pregnant women admitted to the hospital for delivery, those who were jailed had a greater risk of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes and medical problems, says an article published in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology on 1st April, 2022.

In this group, there is little and inconsistent data on the risk of preterm birth, and no data on the risk of other pregnancy problems, such as severe maternal morbidity. Consequences may be poorer as a result of inadequate or substandard care. Therefore, Teresa C.Logue an steam conducted this study to assess the hospitalization conditions and frequency of preterm delivery and adverse events associated with it.

Researchers examined delivery hospitalizations from October 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018, as part of the National Inpatient Sample for this investigation. They identified 12 million women between the ages of 15 and 54 who were hospitalized during birth, with 1,580 (0.01%) having an ICD diagnosis of imprisonment.

The findings of this study were as follow:

1. Inmates had a considerably higher risk of premature birth, abruption, and antepartum hemorrhage.

2. Women who were incarcerated were more likely to have a mental health problem, drug use disorder, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted illnesses than those who were not.

3. They were also more likely to smoke, utilize Medicaid, and be in the lowest income quartile.

4. Those with an imprisonment diagnosis had greater rates of non-transfusion, severe maternal morbidity, preterm birth, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean delivery, postpartum hemorrhage and abruption, and antepartum hemorrhage compared to women without an incarceration diagnosis.

5. Even after adjusting for other factors, the risks of having a preterm birth, as well as abruption and antepartum hemorrhage, were considerably greater among women who had been incarcerated.

In conclusion, this study's findings indicate a need for greater monitoring of pregnancy problems in this high-risk group, as well as changes in care quality and access.

Reference:

Logue, T. C., Wen, T., Staniczenko, A., Huang, Y., D'Alton, M. E., & Friedman, A. M. (2022). Delivery Hospitalizations among Incarcerated Women. In American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.057