Sep 16, 2024 Story by: Editor
Reports over the past few years have revealed that pregnant Black women in New Jersey face more severe complications during childbirth and have a higher mortality rate compared to mothers of other races.
A recent study adds to the evidence of a significant racial gap in maternal care, showing that Black mothers in New Jersey are undergoing unnecessary cesarean sections (C-sections) at a far higher rate than white women, even when treated by the same doctor in the same hospital.
The 71-page report, published last week by the National Bureau of Economic Research, analyzed 1 million births across 68 New Jersey hospitals from 2008 to 2017. It found that Black mothers with unscheduled deliveries were 25% more likely to have an unscheduled C-section compared to white mothers.
The study also suggested that financial incentives played a role in these surgeries. Many of the unscheduled C-sections performed on Black women occurred only when no scheduled C-sections were taking place. According to the Health Care Cost Institute, the average cost of a C-section in 2020 was $17,103, compared to $11,453 for a vaginal delivery.
“These findings show that even the same doctors are treating Black patients differently,” wrote the report’s authors, a trio of economics professors: Adriana Corredor-Waldron of North Carolina State, Janet Currie of Princeton, and Molly Schnell of Northwestern.
The report sparked concerns from New Jersey’s first lady, Tammy Murphy, who has been advocating for reforms in maternal healthcare.
“This study confirms the historical, large-scale statistical racial disparities in delivery methods, without a correlation to medical risk,” Murphy said in a statement. “This research is crucial for supporting the development of new initiatives that will continue to make a difference for families in New Jersey.”
Improvements in Racial Disparities
More recent data from the New Jersey Hospital Association suggests there has been some progress in reducing racial disparities. Between 2018 and 2022, the C-section rate for Black women dropped by 5.3%, according to Cathy Bennett, CEO of the organization.
“Maternal health teams in New Jersey have made racial disparities in birth outcomes a central focus of their work, and it is yielding results,” Bennett said in a statement.
The study adds to a growing body of research that underscores the disparities faced by Black mothers:
- Black mothers are dying at a much higher rate than other races. A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the maternal mortality rate for Black women had doubled over two decades. The current rate is 110 deaths per 100,000 births, compared to 19 for Asians, 27 for Hispanics, 30 for Caucasians, and 42 for Native Americans in New Jersey.
- Despite recent improvements, Black women in New Jersey are still more likely to experience serious complications such as hypertension and hemorrhaging during childbirth. The New Jersey Hospital Association’s 2022 report indicated that Black mothers had a C-section rate of 29 per 100 births, compared to 23 per 100 for white women.
- According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Black mothers are over seven times more likely than white mothers to die from pregnancy-related complications. Black infants are also more than three times as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white infants.
Bias Training for Medical Staff
The issue has gained so much attention that, in July, state regulators required doctors, nurses, midwives, and other medical staff involved in maternal care to undergo bias training.
New Jersey has historically had one of the nation’s highest C-section rates across all races, with about a third of births via C-section in 2016. The potential causes range from more older women giving birth to financial and liability concerns.
In New Jersey, there are no limits on compensatory damages in medical malpractice cases, which some health advocates argue may lead doctors to opt for C-sections when there is even a slight risk during vaginal delivery.
However, since 2017, hospitals have implemented programs aimed at addressing maternal health issues, resulting in the C-section rate falling from 32.31 per 100 births in 2016 to 27.77 in 2021. Source: North Jersey
