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Am J Perinatol 2024; 41(S 01): e3313-e3318
DOI: 10.1055/a-2223-6292
Original Article

Hemoglobin on Admission for Childbirth and Postpartum Acute Care Use in a Southeastern Health Care System

Katharine E. Bruce 
1   Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
,
Clara E. Busse
2   Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
3   Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
,
Kristin P. Tully
4   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
,
Emily S. Patterson
5   Division of Health Information Management and Systems, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
,
Alison M. Stuebe
2   Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
4   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
› Author Affiliations
Funding This research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) R18HS027260, the Postnatal Patient Safety Learning Lab, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Public Health Service. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily present the official views of AHRQ. This research was supported in part by a training grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Development (T32 HD52468) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
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Abstract

Objective Our objective was to evaluate whether hemoglobin on admission for childbirth is associated with postpartum acute care use (ACU).

Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients giving birth at a southeastern quaternary care hospital from January 2018 through June 2021 using electronic health records. Predelivery hemoglobin was categorized as <9, 9– < 10, 10– < 11, 11– < 12, and ≥12 g/dL. Acute care was defined as a visit to obstetric triage, the emergency department, or inpatient admission within 90 days postpartum. Generalized estimating equations quantified the crude and multivariable-adjusted association between predelivery hemoglobin and ACU.

Results Among 8,677 pregnancies, 1,467 (17%) used acute care in the system within 90 days postpartum. In unadjusted models, those with predelivery hemoglobin <9 had twice the risk of postpartum ACU compared to those with hemoglobin ≥12 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.59–2.69), with a decrease in risk for each increase in hemoglobin category (9– < 10 g/dL: risk ratio [RR]: 1.47, CI: 1.21–1.79; 10– < 11 g/dL: RR: 1.44, CI: 1.26–1.64; 11– < 12 g/dL: RR: 1.20, CI: 1.07–1.34). The adjusted model showed a similar trend with smaller effect estimates (<9 g/dL: RR: 1.50, CI: 1.14–1.98; 9– < 10 g/dL: RR: 1.22, CI: 1.00–1.48; 10– < 11 g/dL: RR: 1.22, CI: 1.07–1.40; 11– < 12 g/dL: RR: 1.09, CI: 0.98–1.22).

Conclusion Low hemoglobin at childbirth admission was associated with increased postpartum ACU. Low hemoglobin on admission could signal to providers that additional follow-up, resources, and ongoing support are warranted to identify and address underlying health needs. Because hemoglobin is routinely assessed during the childbirth hospitalization, this indicator may be especially valuable for risk assessment among patients with limited prior engagement in health care.

Key Points

  • Low hemoglobin on admission for birth is associated with postpartum acute care use.

  • Hemoglobin on admission may aid in risk-stratification during childbirth hospitalization.

  • Point-of-care metrics may help identify high-risk patients with limited preventive health care.

Keywords

postpartum acute care - postpartum complications - anemia - pregnancy

Note

Findings were presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, February 6–11, 2023 in San Francisco, California.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 07 October 2023

Accepted: 04 December 2023

Accepted Manuscript online:
06 December 2023

Article published online:
11 January 2024

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