Dataset Information

Maternal Health after Stillbirth: Postpartum Hospital Readmission in California.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess whether the risk of postpartum readmission within 6 weeks of giving birth differs for women who had stillbirths compared with live births.

Study design

Using data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in California, we performed a population-based cohort study of 7,398,640 births between 1999 and 2011. We identified diagnoses and procedures associated with the first postpartum hospital readmission that occurred within 6 weeks after giving birth. We used log-binomial models to estimate relative risk (RR) of postpartum readmission for women who had stillbirth compared with live birth deliveries, adjusting for maternal demographic, prepregnancy, pregnancy, and delivery characteristics.

Results

The rate of postpartum readmission was higher among women who had stillbirths compared with women who had live births (206 and 96 per 10,000 births, respectively). After adjusting for maternal demographic and medical characteristics, the risk of postpartum readmission for women who had stillbirths was nearly 1.5 times greater (adjusted RR = 1.47, 95% confidence interval: 1.35-1.60) compared with live births. Among women with stillbirths, the most common indications at readmission were uterine infection or pelvic inflammatory disease, psychiatric conditions, hypertensive disorder, and urinary tract infection.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, women who have stillbirths are at higher risk of postpartum readmissions within 6 weeks of giving birth than women who have live births. Women who have stillbirths may benefit from additional monitoring and counseling after hospital discharge for potential postpartum medical and psychiatric complications.

Key points

· Women who have stillbirths are at nearly 1.5 times greater risk of postpartum readmission than women who have live births.. · Uterine infections and pelvic inflammatory disease, and psychiatric conditions are the most common reasons for readmission among women who had a stillbirth.. · Women who have stillbirths may benefit from additional monitoring and counseling after hospital discharge for potential postpartum medical and psychiatric complications..

SUBMITTER: Wall-Wieler E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7609589 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to understand the associations between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and postpartum complications throughout the newly defined 12-week postpartum transition.Study designWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of the associations of HDP (any/subtype) with postpartum complications among 2.5 million California births, 2008-2012. We identified complications from discharge diagnoses from maternal hospital encounters (emergency department visits and readmissions) in the 12 weeks after giving birth. We compared rates of complications, overall and by diagnostic category, between groups defined by HDP. In survival analyses, we calculated the adjusted hazard ratios of postpartum complications associated with HDP. We adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity, prepregnancy obesity, chronic diabetes, gestational diabetes, insurance, delivery mode, gestational age and birth outcome (term and size).ResultsAmong women with and without HDP, 12.8 and 7.7%, respectively, had a hospital encounter within 12 weeks of giving birth [adjusted hazard ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.5-1.5]. HDP was associated with increased risk across all major categories of complications: hypertension-related, adjusted hazard ratio 11.8 (95% CI: 11.2-12.3); childbirth-related, 1.4 (1.3-1.4); and other, 1.4 (1.4-1.4). Risk of any complication differed by hypertensive subtype: chronic hypertension with super-imposed preeclampsia, adjusted hazard ratio 1.8 (95% CI: 1.7-1.8); chronic hypertension, 1.6 (1.6-1.7); preeclampsia/eclampsia, 1.3 (1.3-1.4); and gestational hypertension, 1.2 (1.2-1.3). Over a quarter (28.9%) of maternal hospital encounters occurred more than 6 weeks after giving birth; this did not differ substantially by HDP status.ConclusionWomen with HDP are at an increased risk for virtually all postpartum complications, including those not related to hypertension, and may benefit from enhanced and comprehensive postpartum care.