Prematurity linked to Depression?
For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.
Researchers trying to uncover why premature birth is a growing problem in the United States and one that disproportionately affects black women have found that pre-pregnancy depressive mood appears to be a risk factor in preterm birth among both blacks and whites.
Black women, however, have nearly two times the odds of having a preterm birth compared to white women …
“Preterm births are one of the most significant health disparities in the United States …
While there appears to be some sort of link between giving birth prematurely and depressed mood, the study found no cause and effect, said Gavin, who studies health disparities …
… “At this point we can’t say that pre-pregnancy depressive mood is a cause of preterm birth or how race effects this association,” said Gavin. “But it seems to be a risk factor in giving birth prematurely and higher pre-pregnancy depressive mood among black women compared to white women may indirectly contribute to the greater odds of preterm birth found among black women.”
In the study 18.1 percent of the black women had a preterm birth compared to 8.5 percent of the white women.
Perhaps the factors that cause depression are also at play, causing preterm births.
Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448
Probably a big factor is previous abortion which can lead to preterm birth. Black women are much more likely to get an abortion than white women. (If I remember the figures correctly, blacks account for about 16% of the American population but have about 32% of the abortions.)