Investigation of health inequities in maternal and neonatal outcomes of patients with placenta accreta spectrum: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta spectrum is associated with significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is limited established data on healthcare inequities in the outcomes of patients with placenta accreta spectrum. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate health inequities in maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies with placenta accreta spectrum. STUDY DESIGN: This multicentered retrospective cohort study included patients with a histopathological diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum at 4 regional perinatal centers between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2022. Maternal race and ethnicity were categorized as either Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, or Asian or Pacific Islander. The primary outcome was a composite adverse maternal outcome: transfusion of ≥4 units of packed red blood cells, vasopressor use, mechanical ventilation, bowel or bladder injury, or mortality. The secondary outcomes were a composite adverse neonatal outcome (Apgar score of <7 at 1 minute, morbidity, or mortality), gestational age at placenta accreta spectrum diagnosis, and planned delivery by a multidisciplinary team. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the associations of race and ethnicity with maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 408 pregnancies with placenta accreta spectrum were included. In 218 patients (53.0%), the diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum was made antenatally. Patients predominantly self-identified as non-Hispanic White (31.6%) or non-Hispanic Black (24.5%). After adjusting for institution, age, body mass index, income, and parity, there was no difference in composite adverse maternal outcomes among the racial and ethnic groups. Similarly, adverse neonatal outcomes, gestational age at prenatal diagnosis, rate of planned delivery by a multidisciplinary team, and cesarean hysterectomy were similar among groups. CONCLUSION: In our multicentered placenta accreta spectrum cohort, race and ethnicity were not associated with inequities in composite maternal or neonatal morbidity, timing of diagnosis, or planned multidisciplinary care. This study hypothesized that a comparable incidence of individual risk factors for perinatal morbidity and geographic proximity reduces potential inequities that may exist in a larger population.

Mid-trimester sonographic placenta previa thickness and persistence at delivery.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing placental thickness is associated with adverse outcomes including earlier gestational age at delivery, lower birthweight, and lower umbilical artery pH. We aim to determine whether mid-trimester placenta previa thickness is associated with persistence of previa at time of delivery. STUDY DESIGN: Single-center retrospective cohort study of singleton gestations with previa diagnosed at 18-24 weeks delivering between 2015 and 2019. The thickest portion of the placenta was measured in a longitudinal plane on transabdominal imaging to determine placental thickness. We defined three cohorts: 1) thick placenta (>1 standard deviation above the mean), 2) thin placenta (>1 standard deviation below the mean), and 3) average placenta (within 1 standard deviation above or below the mean). Primary outcome was previa persistence at time of delivery. Secondary outcomes included postpartum hemorrhage, cesarean delivery, placenta accreta spectrum, and maternal morbidity composite (use of Bakri balloon, B-lynch, or O'Leary, peripartum hysterectomy, blood transfusion, ICU admission, or death). In all analyses, average thickness was used as the base comparator. RESULTS: Of 239 pregnancies with mid-trimester previa there were 34 thin, 166 average, and 39 thick placentas. Patients with thick placenta were older, more likely to have prior cesarean delivery, fibroid uterus, and delivery at an earlier gestational age. After adjusting for confounders, thick placenta was associated with persistent previa (aOR 6.85 [3.13-15.00]) and cesarean delivery (aOR 2.76 [1.26-6.08]). CONCLUSION: At diagnosis of mid-trimester previa, thick placenta is associated with persistence at time of delivery and delivery by cesarean section. This suggests placental thickness may assist with risk stratification and coordination of care.

Pregnant women with severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 have increased composite morbidity compared with nonpregnant matched controls.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, as community spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 became increasingly prevalent, pregnant women seemed to be equally susceptible to developing coronavirus disease 2019. Although the disease course usually appears mild, severe and critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019 seem to lead to substantial morbidity, including intensive care unit admission with prolonged hospital stay, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and even death. Although there are recent reports regarding the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on pregnancy, there is a lack of information regarding the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnant vs nonpregnant women. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the outcomes of severe and critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnant vs nonpregnant, reproductive-aged women. STUDY DESIGN: This is a multicenter, retrospective, case-control study of women with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection hospitalized with severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 in 4 academic medical centers in New York City and 1 in Philadelphia between March 12, 2020, and May 5, 2020. The cases consisted of pregnant women admitted specifically for severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 and not for obstetrical indications. The controls consisted of reproductive-aged, nonpregnant women admitted for severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019. The primary outcome was a composite morbidity that includes the following: death, a need for intubation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, or a need for high-flow nasal cannula O2 supplementation. The secondary outcomes included intensive care unit admission, length of stay, a need for discharge to long-term acute care facilities, and discharge with a home O2 requirement. RESULTS: A total of 38 pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction-confirmed infections were admitted to 5 institutions specifically for coronavirus disease 2019, 29 (76.3%) meeting the criteria for severe disease status and 9 (23.7%) meeting the criteria for critical disease status. The mean age and body mass index were markedly higher in the nonpregnant control group. The nonpregnant cohort also had an increased frequency of preexisting medical comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The pregnant women were more likely to experience the primary outcome when compared with the nonpregnant control group (34.2% vs 14.9%; P=.03; adjusted odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-18.2). The pregnant patients experienced higher rates of intensive care unit admission (39.5% vs 17.0%; P<.01; adjusted odds ratio, 5.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-17.5). Among the pregnant women who underwent delivery, 72.7% occurred through cesarean delivery and the mean gestational age at delivery was 33.8±5.5 weeks in patients with severe disease status and 35±3.5 weeks in patients with critical coronavirus disease 2019 status. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019 are at an increased risk for certain morbidities when compared with nonpregnant controls. Despite the higher comorbidities of diabetes and hypertension in the nonpregnant controls, the pregnant cases were at an increased risk for composite morbidity, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit admission. These findings suggest that pregnancy may be associated with a worse outcome in women with severe and critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019. Our study suggests that similar to other viral infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, pregnant women may be at risk for greater morbidity and disease severity.