Abstract
This project examines risk and protective factors for preterm birth (PTB) among Black women in Oakland, California. Women with singleton births in 2011–2017 (n = 6199) were included. Risk and protective factors for PTB and independent risk groups were identified using logistic regression and recursive partitioning. Having less than 3 prenatal care visits was associated with highest PTB risk. Hypertension (preexisting, gestational), previous PTB, and unknown Women, Infant, Children (WIC) program participation were associated with a two-fold increased risk for PTB. Maternal birth outside of the USA and participation in WIC were protective. Broad differences in rates, risks, and protective factors for PTB were observed.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the California Department of Public Health, but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission from the California Department of Public Health.
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This research was supported by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Preterm Birth Initiative, California, funded by Marc and Lynne Benioff. The study funder has no role in any of the study activities.
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Statistical Analysis Software version 9.4 (Cary, NC) was used to analyze data received by UCSF as of March 1, 2020. Methods and protocols for the study were approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) (project # 2019-024, approved on 2/18/2020) which serves as the institutional review board (IRB) for the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA). The role of the CPHS and other IRBs is to assure that research involving human subjects is conducted ethically and with minimum risk to participants.
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McLemore, M.R., Berkowitz, R.L., Oltman, S.P. et al. Risk and Protective Factors for Preterm Birth Among Black Women in Oakland, California. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 8, 1273–1280 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00889-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00889-2