Table 1.

Distribution of variables included in the study among women with and without severe maternal morbidity, California, 2007–2012.

	No severe maternal morbidity (n = 2,612,451)		Severe maternal morbidity (n = 37,731)
Study variable	Number	%	Number	%
Prepregnancy body mass index (kg/m2)
Underweight (<18.5)	105,771	4	1,609	4
Normal weight (18.5–24.9)	1,290,493	49	17,810	47
Overweight (25–29.9)	674,847	26	9,692	26
Obese class 1 (30–34.9)	328,575	13	4,899	13
Obese class 2 (35–39.9)	134,451	5	2,218	6
Obese class 3 (≥40)	78,315	3	1,503	4
Comorbiditya	429,257	6	12,047	11
Cesarean birth	852,375	33	22,821	60
Anemia	141,511	5	8,350	22
Primiparous	1,041,383	40	16,655	44
Height
<157 cm	571,438	22	10,059	27
≥157 cm	2,041,013	78	27,672	73
Age
<20 y	226,173	9	3,746	10
20–24 y	556,216	21	7,514	20
25–29 y	702,321	27	8,753	23
30–34 y	662,638	25	8,965	24
35–39 y	370,464	14	6,402	17
≥40 y	94,639	4	2,351	6
Race/ethnicity
Foreign-born Hispanic/Latina	725,352	28	10,079	27
U.S.-born Hispanic/Latina	636,203	24	9,451	25
Non-Hispanic white	688,451	26	8,406	22
Asian/Pacific Islander	317,995	12	4,679	12
Non-Hispanic black/African American	131,220	5	3,328	9
Other	113,230	4	1,788	8
Educational attainment
Less than high school completion	632,468	24	10,122	27
High school degree or equivalent	683,659	26	9,993	26
Some college	628,765	24	8,944	24
College degree or higher	667,559	26	8,672	23
Private insurance expected as delivery payment method	1,241,624	48	16,628	44
Previous cesarean delivery	521,676	20	13,515	36
Preterm delivery (<37 weeks’ gestation)	195,693	7	8,413	22
Prenatal care began
1st trimester	2,177,686	83	30,444	81
2nd trimester	356,354	14	5,633	15
3rd trimester or none	78,411	3	1,654	4
Placenta previa or abruption	40,990	2	3,759	10
Twin/multiple birth	40,835	2	2,436	6

^aPreexisting or gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, preexisting or gestational diabetes, or asthma.