Almost six million women in the United States become pregnant each year. Although only a minority need to be hospitalized during the prenatal period, the extent to which others experience serious morbidity not requiring hospitalization is not known. This investigation was funded through an ASPH/CDC Cooperative Agreement, with the aim of examining the extent of maternal morbidity due to infectious agents among Latina and African-American clinic patients at a large, urban medical center. Data is being collected through systematic review of 1,500 patient charts. The presentation will describe the methodological considerations of mounting an extensive chart-review field effort, including abstractor training, clinic protocol, IRB approval, patient confidentiality, laboratory confirmation of chart information, and related issues will be discussed. The presentation will also discuss preliminary findings based on the data collected to date. Infectious diseases of particular concern by virtue of their high prevalence or incidence, their association with significant maternal morbidity, or their preventable nature will be identified. Specific attention will be focused on the prevalence of infections that have social and behavioral correlates (e.g. tuberculosis, STDs). Ethnic differences in maternal morbidity will be explored and other sociodemographic correlates of infection will be examined. Such knowledge will guide the development of preventive strategies that could be implemented during the prenatal period. Plans for dissemination of the findings to physicians, midwives, and other health care providers both within the Medical Center and in the broader community will be outlined.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.