TABLE 1.
Characteristics of white and black pregnant nulliparous women1
| White women, n = 200 |
Black women, n = 200 |
P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal age, % | |||
| <20 y | 23.5 | 54.0 | <0.01 |
| 20–29 y | 56.5 | 41.0 | |
| ≥30 y | 41.0 | 5.0 | |
| Marital status, % | |||
| Married | 38.0 | 3.0 | <0.01 |
| Unmarried | 62.0 | 97.0 | |
| Maternal education, % | |||
| <12 y | 15.5 | 31.0 | <0.01 |
| 12 y | 25.0 | 33.0 | |
| >12 y | 59.5 | 36.0 | |
| Gravidity,2 % | |||
| 1 | 72.5 | 69.5 | 0.31 |
| 2 | 19.5 | 24.0 | |
| ≥3 | 8.0 | 6.5 | |
| Smoking status, % | |||
| Smokers | 52.5 | 41.5 | <0.05 |
| Nonsmokers | 47.5 | 58.5 | |
| Prepregnancy BMI, % | |||
| <18.5 kg/m2 | 8.0 | 4.0 | <0.01 |
| 18.5–24.9 kg/m2 | 58.0 | 48.5 | |
| 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 | 21.0 | 23.0 | |
| ≥30.0 kg/m2 | 13.0 | 24.5 | |
| Regular3 periconceptional4 multivitamin use, % | |||
| Yes | 66.5 | 33.5 | <0.01 |
| No | 44.5 | 55.5 | |
| Regular3 multivitamin use in the last 3 mo of pregnancy, % | |||
| Yes | 94.3 | 91.9 | 0.36 |
| No | 5.7 | 8.1 | |
| Median (range) gestational age of blood sample <22 wk | 10.2 (4.4–20.9) | 11.7 (4.7–20.4) | 0.06 |
| Median (range) gestational age of blood sample at delivery, wk | 40.0 (37–42.3) | 39.9 (37–42) | 0.89 |
1
Data are presented as percent or median (range).
2
Defined as the number of times a woman has been pregnant.
3
Defined as self-reported use of multivitamins or prenatal vitamins at least once per week.
4
Defined as the 3 mo before conception and the 3 mo after conception.