Racial and ethnic differences in preterm birth: a complex, multifactorial problem
Open accessAbstract
Preterm birth remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among nonanomalous neonates, and is a major public health problem. Non-Hispanic black women have a 2-fold greater risk for preterm birth compared with non-Hispanic white race. The reasons for this disparity are poorly understood and cannot be explained solely by sociodemographic factors. Underlying factors including a complex interaction between maternal, paternal, and fetal genetics, epigenetics, the microbiome, and these sociodemographic risk factors likely underlies the differences between racial groups, but these relationships are currently poorly understood. This article reviews the epidemiology of disparities in preterm birth rates and adverse pregnancy outcomes and discuss possible explanations for the racial and ethnic differences, while examining potential solutions to this major public health problem.
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In a systematic review of 30 studies, Non-Hispanic Black women had a 2-fold increased risk of preterm birth compared with Non-Hispanic White women.
“In a systematic review of 30 studies, Non-Hispanic Black women were found to have a 2-fold increased risk of PTB compared with Non-Hispanic White women.74”
From The transition to parenthood in obstetrics: enhancing prenatal care for 2-generation impact (2022) · cites this paper as [74]
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References 76 · Cited by 334
- Authors
- Manuck, T. A.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Corresponding author
- Manuck, Tracy A.
- ORCID
- Manuck, Tracy A.
- Venue
- Seminars in Perinatology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 511-518
- ISSN
- 0146-0005 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6381592
- OpenAlex
- W2759161062
- Cited by
- 334
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 8
- FWCI
- 11.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Seminars in Perinatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
- UNC Libraries
- Funders
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01MD011609)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Preterm Birth and Chorioamnionitis
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Keywords
- preterm birth, racial disparities, ethnic disparities, non-Hispanic Black women, sociodemographic risk factors, epigenetics, microbiome, maternal genetics, adverse pregnancy outcomes, public health interventions
- MeSH terms
- Black or African American, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Prenatal Care, Public Health, Socioeconomic Factors, United States, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, White People, Racial Groups, Premature Birth, Healthcare Disparities
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