Effect of Preexisting Chronic Disease on Primary Cesarean Delivery Rates by Race for Births in U.S. Military Hospitals, 1999–2002

Abstract

The presence of certain chronic conditions before pregnancy may increase the likelihood that a woman will deliver by cesarean section. Adjustment of cesarean rates for the presence of these chronic diseases, however, does not account for the difference in cesarean rates observed for white and minority mothers in the study population. The potential for underreporting of chronic diseases complicates a true assessment of the impact of chronic disease on cesarean delivery rate variations between white and minority women.