Researchers tout social vulnerability as predictor of obstetric outcomes

In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, doctoral student Nicola Tavella and team argue for using social vulnerability to predict obstetric health outcomes, rather than using race and ethnicity as biological determinants.

Social vulnerability is linked to adverse obstetric outcomes, the authors say, with more socially vulnerable individuals experiencing higher rates of negative pregnancy outcomes.

In a recent study, the authors incorporated the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) into an existing predictive model for vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and found that the model’s accuracy significantly improved.

“Incorporating social drivers into predictive models is complex but crucial for understanding how these factors influence clinical outcomes,” says Tavella.

The authors encourage further research into the biopsychosocial mechanisms linking social vulnerability to perinatal outcomes, including detailed analyses of specific SVI components such as education and access to transportation.

Including the social vulnerability index into a predictive model of vaginal birth after cesarean, Tavella, Nicola F. et al. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Volume 172, 111421