Evidence mapPaperPMID 33722867Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2021

Socioeconomic inequalities and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the UK and Republic of Ireland: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Katie Thomson, Malcolm Moffat, Oluwatomi Arisa, Amrita Jesurasa, Catherine Richmond, Adefisayo Odeniyi, Clare Bambra, Judith Rankin, Heather Brown, Julie Bishop and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 72 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
72citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
15.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

72 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 137 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Risks to the Unborn: An Umbrella Review on the Effects of Prenatal Maternal Stress Caused by Natural Disasters.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2025
    Pooled it
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  5. Improving Diversity in Recruitment: Lessons Learned During the REACH Pregnancy Circles Pilot Trial.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
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12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Katie ThomsonPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9614-728X
Malcolm MoffatPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Oluwatomi ArisaPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Amrita JesurasaPrimary Care Division, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Catherine RichmondPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Adefisayo OdeniyiPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Clare BambraPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Judith RankinPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Heather BrownPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Julie BishopHealth Improvement Division, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Susan WingHealth Improvement Division, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Amy McNaughtonHealth Improvement Division, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Nicola HeslehurstPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK nicola.heslehurst@ncl.ac.uk.
Newcastle University · GBPublic Health Wales · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/K02325X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThere has been an unprecedented rise in infant mortality associated with deprivation in recent years in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland. A healthy pregnancy can have significant impacts on the life chances of children. The objective of this review was to understand the association between individual-level and household-level measures of socioeconomic status and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

designSystematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Nine databases were searched (Medline, Embase, Scopus, ASSIA, CINAHL, PsycINFO, BNI, MIDRIS and Google Scholar) for articles published between 1999 and August 2019. Grey literature searches were also assessed. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies reporting associations between individual-level or household socioeconomic factors on pregnancy outcomes in the UK or Ireland.

resultsAmong the 82 353 search results, 53 821 titles were identified and 35 unique studies met the eligibility criteria. Outcomes reported were neonatal, perinatal and maternal mortality, preterm birth, birth weight and mode of delivery. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis. There were significantly increased odds of women from lower levels of occupation/social classes compared with the highest level having stillbirth (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.59, I

conclusionsThis review identified consistent evidence that lower occupational status, especially manual occupations and unemployment, were significantly associated with increased risk of multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. Strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes should incorporate approaches that address wider determinants of health to provide women and families with the best chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby and to decrease pregnancy-related health inequalities in the general population. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42019140893.

Indexed as

Pregnancy OutcomePremature BirthChildFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornIrelandPregnancySocioeconomic FactorsUnited Kingdomepidemiologyfetal medicinematernal medicinepublic health

Identifiers

PMID33722867
PMCPMC7959237
OpenAlexW3136152613

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.