Studies find disparities in C-sections, preterm birth rates

While cesarean birth rates fell overall from 2012 to 2021, racial and ethnic disparities persisted for Black women, according to a retrospective cohort study including data from 30 million births. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found the rate of cesarean delivery for Black women was 30.9% compared with 28% for Asian or Pacific Islander women, 27.6% for Hispanic women and 26.5% for non-Hispanic white women. The author urges hospitals to address disparities as part of their obstetric quality improvement efforts. Separately, a March of Dimes report noted the preterm birth rate in the U.S. has equity gaps: 9.5% of babies born to white mothers were premature compared with 14.7% of babies born to non-Hispanic Black mothers. (MedPage Today article, 11/18/25)