Labor in the American Negro

Abstract

Careful analysis of consecutive labors of 4,103 white patients and 6,041 Negro patients reveals some interesting points: 1.1. Of all the major complications of pregnancy, only the late toxemias are more frequent in the Negro race, 5.2 per cent versus 3.1 per cent.2.2. Premature labor (infants under 2,500 grams) is more frequent in the Negro race (10.1 per cent contrasted with 6.4 per cent) but caused only a slightly greater loss of all babies (1.05 per cent contrasted with 0.95 per cent) because of the consistently lower mortality rate of the Negro infants in each premature weight group from 1,000 to 2,495 grams.3.3. The first stage of labor is consistently longer in the Negro patients. In primigravidas this difference approximates 2 hours and is something less than one hour in multigravidas.4.4. The second stage of labor, both descent and pelvic floor phases, is definitely shorter in the Negro patient. These differences are small.5.5. Blood loss in the third stage is markedly less. Blood loss of 500 c.c. or more occurred in about 6 per cent of the white patients. and in only 2 per cent of the Negro patients.6.6. Fetal perinatal mortality is higher (1.98 in contrast to 1.58 per cent) among Negroes.7.7. Maternal morbidity is some 30 per cent higher in Negro patients.