NCHS US Natality Data (2020)

In comparison to vaginal deliveries, caesarean (C-section) deliveries have been linked to poorer health outcomes for both mother and infant; nevertheless, the rate of C-section deliveries continues to rise worldwide (Keag et al., 2018; Negrini et al., 2021). Using the Natality Data (2020) from the US National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (N=3,619,826), this study analyzes structural inequalities and systemic racism that exist within ubiquitous social institutions, such as hospitals (Bonilla-Silva, 1997; Meyer & Rowan, 1977). We estimate multinomial logistical regression models to predict differences in risk of C-section deliveries across racialized and non-racialized mothers, as well as for immigrant women. We also investigate the effect of source of payment for the birth, both as a signal of socioeconomic status of the mother and cost to the hospital.

This data set uses the following exclusion criteria: breech/transverse births, non-hospital births, "other" methods of payment. "Other" method of payment refers to any payment method used for the delivery other than private insurance, Medicaid, or self-pay. Moreover, any records missing data on race of mother were also excluded.