Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40434525›Full record

ArticleJournal of racial and ethnic health disparities2026

Postpartum Health Disparities During the Birth Hospitalization in the United States: A Scoping Review.

Christina X Marea, Heather M Bradford, Lauren Aslami, Thu Dao, Noelene K Jeffers, Ashley Gresh, Roxanne Mirabal-Beltran, Leah Chen, Sanjana Chimata, Octavia Allen Whitfield and 1 more

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Christina X MareaSchool of Nursing, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA. christina.marea@georgetown.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-3820-2452
Heather M BradfordSchool of Nursing, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3664-4161
Lauren AslamiSchool of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0009-0001-7872-4522
Thu DaoSchool of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-9175-7369
Noelene K JeffersSchool of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0957-6690
Ashley GreshSchool of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7181-8219
Roxanne Mirabal-BeltranSchool of Nursing, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9617-3798
Leah ChenGeorgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-0368-9569
Sanjana ChimataGeorgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9327-9925
Octavia Allen WhitfieldSchool of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-2408-4518
Damali M WilsonMcSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, New York University, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5251-575X

Funding

Institutional Career Development CoreKL2TR001432 · NCATS · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY · PI UMANS, JASON G · 2015 to 2024
$7.5M
NCATS NIH HHS KL2TR001432NIMH NIH HHS R25 MH136652-05
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite over 50% of maternal deaths occurring during the postpartum period, with significant disparities for structurally marginalized people, this is an understudied period in the reproductive life course. This review aims to describe the scope of the literature on postpartum health disparities during the birth hospitalization.

methodsWe searched five databases (MEDLINE®, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsychInfo) for primary research studies in the USA in English that measured a postpartum maternal outcome during the birth hospitalization and compared the outcome across at least two groups. We excluded studies that solely examined maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity, gray literature, and review articles. We extracted data using the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research and PROGRESS-Plus Frameworks.

resultsWe extracted data from the 22 studies that met inclusion criteria. All studies identified a disparity. The most commonly reported PROGRESS-Plus individual characteristic was race. No studies reported occupation, parental/maternity leave, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, acculturation, religion, social capital, or social support. Postpartum outcomes and variables explored for association with those outcomes were predominantly at the individual and interpersonal levels, with limited to no examination at the community, health system, and societal level.

conclusionThere is a critical gap in the literature on postpartum health disparities during the birth hospitalization. Knowledge gained from this review can guide perinatal clinicians and researchers in expanding their approach to addressing postpartum health disparities using intersectional axes of identity, socioeconomic status, and structural barriers.

Indexed as

Healthcare DisparitiesHealth Status DisparitiesHospitalizationPostpartum PeriodFemaleHumansPregnancySocioeconomic Disparities in HealthUnited StatesBirth hospitalizationHealth disparitiesHealth inequityHealth servicesPostpartumScoping review

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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.