Severe maternal morbidity among U.S.- and foreign-born Asian and Pacific Islander women in California

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to examine the risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM)—a composite of serious, potentially life-threatening conditions related to childbirth—among subgroups of nulliparous women with Asian and Pacific Islander race/ethnicity. MethodsThis study used linked hospital discharge and vital record data California to identify nulliparous Asian and Pacific Islander women from 1997 to 2012 (n = 453,525). We examined the risk of SMM for 15 Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups and compared the risk between U.S.- and foreign-born women. ResultsThe risk of SMM was higher among Pacific Islander women than that among Asian women (148 and 127 cases per 10,000 births, respectively). Among Asian women, the risk of SMM ranged from 94 (Korean) to 165 (Filipina) cases per 10,000 births, and among Pacific Islander women, the risk ranged from 125 (Hawaiian) to 162 (Other). With the exception of Korean and Filipina women, relative risks of SMM for U.S.- versus foreign-born Asian and Pacific Islander women were similar. ConclusionsDifferences in the risk of SMM exist between subgroups of the Asian and Pacific Islander community. These differences should be considered when conducting research on racial and ethnic differences of SMM and when counseling Asian and Pacific Islander women regarding their risk of SMM.