Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Jun 2023
Increases in Obstetric Interventions and Changes in Gestational Age Distributions of U.S. Births.
Objective: To examine how changes in induction of labor (IOL) and cesarean deliveries between 1990 and 2017 affected gestational age distributions of births in the United States. Materials and Methods: Singleton first births were drawn from the National Vital Statistics System Birth Data for years 1990-2017. Separate analytic samples were created (1) by maternal race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, and non-Hispanic white), (2) by maternal age (15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-49), (3) by U. ⋯ S. women at low risk for interventions. Conclusion: Changes in gestational age distributions of U. S. births and their underlying causes are likely national-level phenomena and do not appear to be responding to increases in maternal risk for interventions.