OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to evaluate racial trends in the prescribing of non-vitamin/non-mineral medications within office-based ambulatory care visits occurring during pregnancy or puerperium.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of office-based ambulatory care visits occuring during pregnancy or puerperium was conducted using the National Ambulatory Care Survey (NAMCS) from 2005 to 2011. Descriptive statistics for all study variables by racial subgroups were estimated. Weighted bivariable analyses were used to examine statistical differences in the prescribing of non-vitamin/non-mineral medications by race. Annual trends in use by therapeutic class were also evaluated by racial subgroup. All analyses were performed using SAS 9.3 at an alpha of 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 5,850 office-based ambulatory care visits (213.7 million weighted visits) occurring during pregnancy or puerperium were included. Of them, 78.8%, 14.0%, and 7.1% were from pregnant women who were of White, Black and Other race respectively. Medication use findings showed that at least half of all included study visits had a non-vitamin/non-mineral medication prescribed. Racial differences in the prescribing of non-vitamin/non-mineral medications were also observed with visits from Black women having a higher proportion of prescribing (p<0.05). Higher proportions of medications for cardiovascular-related conditions were also reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial differences in non-vitamin/non-mineral prescribing during pregnancy or puerperium overall and for cardiovascular-related conditions were observed.