Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive Health Services and Outcomes, 2020

Abstract

Racial-ethnic disparities in access and outcomes in the context of women's reproductive health continue to be pervasive in the United States. Contraceptive use, sexually transmitted infection care, human papillomavirus vaccination among younger women aged 18 to 25 years, reproductive cancers, preterm deliveries, and low-birth-weight neonates, as well as maternal morbidity and mortality, continue to have documented disparities. Policy-level interventions addressing the removal of social and structural barriers for women of underserved racial and ethnic minorities are necessary to increase utilization of needed 276Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey

Outcomes of Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Within the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry 2007-2020

“…All racial categories recognized by the National Vital Statistic System are included. Ethnicity is included within the analysis because Hispanic people are considered a minority group within the scholarly body of perinatal disparity research 26. Race and ethnicity are not mutually exclusive.…”

Racial disparities in access to reproductive health and fertility care in the United States

“…Overall health and reproductive wellness are essential for fertility optimization and infertility prevention. Unintended pregnancies and tubal factor infertility (TFI) resulting from sexually transmitted infection (STI) exposure represent consequences of failure to access preventive care, for which socioeconomic constraints are a major determinant [9 ▪ ]. In 2010, nearly one in three women, or approximately 27 million, were uninsured, and another 45 million delayed or avoided care because of cost [10].…”

“…In 2010, nearly one in three women, or approximately 27 million, were uninsured, and another 45 million delayed or avoided care because of cost [10]. Although the percentage of uninsured women decreased with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and increases in Medicaid coverage, in 2020, high out-of-pocket costs or deductibles relative to income effectively leave 21% of people ‘underinsured’ [9 ▪ ,11 ▪ ,12 ▪ ].…”

Eliminating health inequities in reproductive medicine: ensuring care for all

“…The stark reality is that health inequities are prevalent across all medical specialties. However, some of the most dramatic disparities in outcomes occur in the field of reproductive health (3,4). In obstetrics, Black and Native American women are more likely to die during childbirth (3).…”