1. In States That Border Mexico, Cesarean Rates Were Highest For Hispanic Women Living In Border Counties In 2015.
- Author
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McDonald JA, Amatya A, Gard CC, and Sigala J
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Birth Certificates, Female, Hospitalists, Humans, Pregnancy, United States, Young Adult, Cesarean Section statistics & numerical data, Hispanic or Latino statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Hispanic women living on the US-Mexico border have had higher cesarean delivery rates than other Hispanic women in the US. Using birth certificate and other data, we compared cesarean rates among Hispanic women living in US border counties with rates among other Hispanic women in border states during 2015. Using linear regression, we also determined which medical, hospital, and sociodemographic characteristics accounted for intercounty variations in rates. In border counties the rates were 38.3 percent for all births, 31.3 percent for low-risk nulliparous mothers, 21.0 percent for primary cesareans, and 94.7 percent for repeat cesareans. In nonborder counties the rates were 30.9 percent, 24.4 percent, 15.1 percent, and 90.5 percent, respectively. Maternal medical characteristics explained over 50 percent of the variation for all cesarean outcomes. Other characteristics that were major contributors to higher cesarean rates included for-profit hospital status, delivery by a physician as opposed to a midwife, and residence in a county with a larger Hispanic fraction of the population. Addressing potentially unnecessary cesareans among Hispanic women on the border will likely require a multicomponent strategy.
- Published
- 2019
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