Pregnancy and Postpartum Challenges During COVID-19 for African-African Women. Article

Holness, Nola A, Barfield, Latisha, Burns, Vicki L et al. (2020). Pregnancy and Postpartum Challenges During COVID-19 for African-African Women. . 31(2), 15-24.

cited authors

  • Holness, Nola A; Barfield, Latisha; Burns, Vicki L; Clark, M Kathleen; Powell-Young, Yolanda M

abstract

  • The purpose of this article is to discern and examine causative factors that are likely to influence the higher consequences of health disparities experienced by pregnant and postpartum African-American women with COVID-19. Although understudied, pregnancy in the presence of COVID-19 increases the risk for illness severity. Data suggest that pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized, to be admitted to the intensive care unit, and to require life support. Similarly, COVID-19 poses significant challenges to maternal and obstetric care during the postpartum recovery period. African- American women bear a disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality burden for diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Pre-existing chronic health conditions may place pregnant and postpartum women at a higher risk for developing severe health consequences from COVID-19 before, during, and after delivery. In addition, social determinants of health are hypothesized to modulate the deleterious impact of COVID-19 among pregnant and postpartum African-American women.

publication date

  • December 1, 2020

keywords

  • Black or African American
  • COVID-19
  • Female
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Humans
  • Maternal Health Services
  • Postpartum Period
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Social Determinants of Health

Medium

  • Print

start page

  • 15

end page

  • 24

volume

  • 31

issue

  • 2