Racial/Ethnic Representation in United States and Australian Obstetric Research
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Racial/Ethnic Representation in United States and Australian Obstetric Research Kelly Yamasato1 · Ingrid Chern1 · Men‑Jean Lee1 Accepted: 9 November 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Objective To describe racial/ethnic representation in United States (US) and Australian obstetric research, represented by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU) and Australian Research Centre for Health of Women and Babies (ARCH) trials. Methods MFMU studies were identified through PubMed and ARCH studies through their online publication listing from 2011 to 2016. Observational and randomized cohorts and primary and secondary data analyses were included. Studies with race-based enrollment were excluded. Racial/ethnic representation was expressed as the mean racial/ethnic percentages of the studies (i.e.,: studies weighted equally regardless of sample size). Racial/ethnic percentages in MFMU studies were compared to US registered births and ARCH compared to Australian census ancestry data. Results 38 MFMU studies included 580,282 women. Racial/ethnic representation (% [SD]) included White 41.7 [12.3], Hispanic 28.1 [15.4], Black 26.2 [12.3], Asian 3.6 [2.3], and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) 0.2 [0.02]. No studies reported Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) separately. Comparatively, registered US births (%) were White 75.7, Hispanic 28.1, Black 16.1, Asian/Pacific Islander 7.1, and AI/AN 1.1, which differed from the MFMU (P = 0.02). 20 ARCH studies included 51,873 women. The most reported groups were White 76.5 [17.4], Asian 15.2 [14.8], and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander 13.9 [30.5], compared to census numbers of White 88.7, Asian 9.4, and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander 2.8 (P < 0.01). Two ARCH studies reported African ethnicity. Conclusion There is racial diversity in studies by MFMU and ARCH, with opportunities to increase enrollment and enhanced reporting of Asian, AI/AN, and NHOPI races in MFMU studies and Black race in ARCH studies. Keywords Pregnancy · Obstetric · Race · Ethnicity
Significance Statement
What this Study Adds
What is Already known on this Subject
Little has been done to review racial/ethnic representation in obstetric research. We address this by describing racial/ ethnic representation in studies performed by two large and well-established obstetric research networks—the MaternalFetal Medicine Units Network in the US and the Australian Research Centre for Health of Women and Babies. We found racial diversity in trials performed by both networks, though there remain opportunities to increase enrollment and enhanced reporting of some races.
Racial/ethnic disparity in obstetric outcomes is gaining increasing recognition. These disparities speak to the importance of appropriate racial representation in the research that guides obstetric care.
* Kelly Yamasato [email protected] 1
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health, University of Hawaii John A Burns School of Medicine, 1319 Punahou Street, #
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