Beth L. Pineles, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Epidemiology, has published new research showing that federal birth certificate data may significantly undercount severe maternal morbidity and racial disparities in pregnancy-related complications. Titled, “Differential Reporting of Severe Maternal Morbidity on US Birth Certificate and Claims Data by Race and Ethnicity,” the study is published in the May edition of the journal Epidemiology.
The study compared national birth certificate records with a large commercial all-payer database and found substantial gaps in reporting rates for serious maternal health events. Penn LDI also featured the study in a research update that includes a summary of the findings, key data highlights, and a video interview with Dr. Pineles discussing the implications of inaccurate maternal health reporting and the need for improved national surveillance systems.