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Objectives: Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) women are at a higher risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes compared with other women. However, little is known about postpartum outcomes among DHH women. The objective was to compare the risk of postpartum hospitalizations for DHH compared with non-DHH women and the leading indications for postpartum admissions. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from the 1998–2017 Massachusetts Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data System and identified 3,546 singleton deliveries to DHH women and 1,381,439 singleton deliveries to non-DHH women. We used Cox proportional hazard models to compare the first hospital admission and ≥2 hospital admissions between DHH and non-DHH women within 1–42, 43–90, and 91–365 days after delivery. Results: DHH women had a higher risk for any hospital admissions across all periods (hazard ratios [HR] = 1.84; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.46–2.34 within 1–42 days; HR = 2.76; 95%CI 1.99–3.83 within 43–90 days; and HR = 3.10; 95%CI 2.66–3.60 91–365 days) after childbirth compared with non-DHH women. They had an almost seven times higher risk for repeated hospital admissions within 43–90 days (HR = 6.84; 95%CI 1.66–28.21) and nearly four times higher the risk within 91–365 days (HR = 3.63; 95%CI 2.00–6.59) after delivery compared with non-DHH women. The leading indications for readmission among DHH women included: conditions complicating the puerperium/hemorrhage and soft tissues disorders. Conclusion: Compared with other women, DHH women had significantly higher readmissions across all postpartum periods and for repeated admissions >42 days. Leading postpartum indications were distinct from those of non-DHH women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study examined the risk of postpartum hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits among US women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Methods We used the 2002-2012 Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data System and identified deliveries to women with and without IDD. Women with IDD (n = 1104) or case subjects were identified from the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 9th Revision (ICD-9 CM) codes. The study primary outcome measures were any postpartum hospital admission and any ED visit during three critical postpartum periods (1-42, 43-90, and 1-365 days). We conducted unadjusted and adjusted survival analysis using Cox proportional hazard models to compare the occurrence of first hospital admission or ED visits between women with and without IDD. Results We found that women with IDD had markedly higher rates of postpartum hospital admissions and ED visits during the critical postpartum periods (within 1-42, 43-90, and 91-365 days) after a childbirth. Conclusion for Practice Given the heightened risk of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes and the findings of this study, there is an urgent need for clinical guidelines related to the frequency and timing of postpartum care among new mothers with IDD. Further, this study provides evidence of the need for evidence-based interventions for new mothers with IDD to provide preventive care and routine assessments that would identify and manage complications for both the mother and the infant outside of the traditional postpartum health care framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]