Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39395977›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2024

Mapping the scientific literature on obstetric and perinatal health among sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) childbearing people and their infants: a scoping review.

Aimee K Huang, Alison R Schulte, Mary-Frances E Hall, Laura Y Chen, Sanjana Srinivasan, Carol Mita, Aava B Jahan, Kodiak R S Soled, Brittany M Charlton

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Aimee K HuangDepartment of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA. akhuang@mgh.harvard.edu.
Alison R Schulte *Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Mary-Frances E Hall *Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Laura Y ChenDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Sanjana SrinivasanDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Carol MitaCountway Library, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Aava B JahanDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Kodiak R S Soled *Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Brittany M Charlton *Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA.

Funding

Training Program in Cancer EpidemiologyT32CA009001 · NCI · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (SCH OF PUBLIC HLTH) · PI A. Heather Eliassen, Meir Stampfer · 1985 to 2026
$17.3M
CVD Epidemiology Training Program in Behavior, the Environment and Global HealthT32HL098048 · NHLBI · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · PI Goodarz Danaei, ERIC B RIMM · 2009 to 2026
$6.9M
Strengthening mentorship for sexual and gender minority health researchersR01MD015256 · NIMHD · HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE, INC. · PI CHARLTON, BRITTANY MICHELLE · 2021 to 2025
$4.8M
The Harvard Chan Education Program in Cancer Prevention and ControlT32CA057711 · NCI · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · PI Karen M. Emmons, ANNE LINDSAY FRAZIER · 2019 to 2026
$3.3M
Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute T32CA009001Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute T32CA057711NCI NIH HHS T32 CA009001NCI NIH HHS T32 CA057711NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL098048NHLBI NIH HHS T32HL098048NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD015256NIMHD NIH HHS R01MD015256
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEvidence suggests sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) childbearing individuals and their infants experience more adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes compared to their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. This study aimed to comprehensively map obstetric and perinatal physical health literature among SGM populations and their infants and identify knowledge gaps.

methodsPubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science Core Collection were systematically searched to identify published studies reporting obstetric and perinatal outcomes in SGM individuals or their infants. Study characteristics, sample characteristics, and outcome findings were systematically extracted and analyzed.

resultsOur search yielded 8,740 records; 55 studies (1981-2023) were included. Sexual orientation was measured by self-identification (72%), behavior (55%), and attraction (9%). Only one study captured all three dimensions. Inconsistent measures of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) were common, and 68% conflated sex and gender. Most (85%) focused on sexual minorities, while 31% addressed gender minorities. Demographic measures employed varied widely and were inconsistent; 35% lacked race/ethnicity data, and 44% lacked socioeconomic data. Most studies (78%) examined outcomes among SGM individuals, primarily focusing on morbidity and pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy termination was most frequently studied, while pregnancy and childbirth complications (e.g., gestational hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage) were rarely examined. Evidence of disparities were mixed. Infant outcomes were investigated in 60% of the studies, focusing on preterm birth and low birthweight. Disparities were noted among different sexual orientation and racial/ethnic groups. Qualitative insights highlighted how stigma and discriminatory care settings can lead to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.

conclusionsFrequent conflation of sex and gender and a lack of standardized SOGI measures hinder the comparison and synthesis of existing evidence. Nuanced sociodemographic data should be collected to understand the implications of intersecting identities. Findings on perinatal health disparities were mixed, highlighting the need for standardized SOGI measures and comprehensive sociodemographic data. The impact of stigma and discriminatory care on adverse outcomes underscores the need for inclusive healthcare environments. Future research should address these gaps; research on SGM perinatal outcomes remains urgently lacking.

trial registrationThe review protocol was developed a priori in February 2023, registered on Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5DQV4 ) and published in BMJ Open ( https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/11/e075443 ).

Indexed as

Pregnancy OutcomeSexual and Gender MinoritiesFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMalePregnancyMaternal and child healthNeonatal healthObstetricPerinatalPregnancy complicationsPregnancy outcomesSexual and gender minority

Identifiers

PMID39395977
PMCPMC11471024

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.