Disparity in prenatal care among women of colour in the USA

SummaryObjectiveto describe the disparity in prenatal care among women of colour in timing of initiation of prenatal care and total number of prenatal visits.Designa retrospective, descriptive design.Settinga large, urban university midwifery faculty practice.Participants439 healthy women at term (37–42 weeks gestation) with a vertex singleton pregnancy, and an essentially uncomplicated prenatal course. One clinic, the university facility, provided full-scope services. The other four community clinics, all outside the university in the larger metropolitan area, were designed to provide care to low-, under-, and uninsured pregnant women.Measurementstiming of initiation of prenatal care and total number of prenatal visits were examined in relation to demographic variables, including race, education, age, marital status, method of payment and clinic sites.Findingssignificant differences in initiation of prenatal care and total number of prenatal visits were documented. The non-Hispanic white women at the university hospital clinic, with high school or college degrees and insurance or Medicaid, were more likely to visit prenatal clinics. Examination of association between timing of initiation of prenatal care and demographic variables showed significant differences in race and education.Key conclusionsthis study reflects the difficulty in access to care faced by women of colour. When comparing 1997 national survey findings with those of a 2001 study, about 40% of the 50 States and the District of Columbia showed an increase in the frequency of women receiving late care or no care; additionally, a disparity in access to prenatal care between non-Hispanic white and non-white women was noted in most of these areas.Implications for practicethe number of births to women of colour delivered by midwives has rapidly increased in recent years. Also, the numbers of babies born to women of colour is anticipated to surpass 50% in the next few decades. Considering the increased proportion of births to women of colour, special attention to promote early prenatal care for these populations is needed. Recruitment and retention efforts for non-white midwives, regular education for cultural competence of midwives, and provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate care for women of colour should be considered.