Researchers examined medical records of women with MS in the U.S. and
their pregnancy outcomes, comparing those of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and
white people. They reported that those identifying as Black or
Hispanic/Latinx tended to enter pregnancy with higher levels of MS
disability and often with fewer health care resources. There were also
differences in types of delivery, birthweights, and socioeconomic
factors.
Why Does This Matter? This study adds to the growing
awareness of health disparities and can inform ongoing efforts to
improve care for everyone living with MS.
Background: MS is highly individualized, and disease
characteristics and a treatment plan are significant considerations in
family planning and pregnancies. These investigators wanted to
understand how healthcare inequities may impact the pregnancy outcomes
of Black and Hispanic/Latinex women. Previous studies suggest that
prenatal care is especially important for Black and Hispanic/Latinx
women because they tend to have higher risks of high blood pressure,
diabetes and other disorders that may complicate their pregnancies.
Study Details: To better understand differences among
women with MS and their pregnancy experiences, Dr. Riley Bove
(University of California, San Francisco - UCSF), a National MS Society
Harry Weaver Scholar, and collaborators examined medical records from 9
MS centers in the U.S. They looked for pregnancy and delivery
information of women with MS or CIS
(a single neurological event that indicates early MS) between 2010 and
2021. They analyzed 294 pregnancies that resulted in live births.
Results: Some differences they found included:
- Black and Hispanic/Latinx women tended to be younger than white women when they became pregnant, and they had higher levels of MS disability when they became pregnant.
- More white women had private insurance, and more received an ultrasound exam at 14 weeks of pregnancy.
- Black women had the highest rates of emergency cesarean deliveries, and Hispanic/Latinx women had the fewest delivery complications. Babies’ birth weights of both tended to be lower than those of white women.
Comment: The authors suggest that some reasons for the differences may include availability of transportation, types of insurance, social support, and access to prenatal care. Studies like these can inform ongoing efforts to improve care for everyone living with MS.
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