Racial Disparities in U.S. Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors and Outcomes
Authors' conclusion
Black women with PPCM experienced lower recovery and higher mortality rates compared with White women. With the exception of a significant difference in payer status, modest differences in previously identified risk factors were observed between racial groups to account for worse outcomes (Disparities in risk factors and outcomes between Black and White US women with peripartum cardiomyopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis; CRD42023439228).
Study context
- Population
- U.S. women with PPCM and race-stratified risk factors and outcomes
- Comparison
- Black vs White women in the United States diagnosed with PPCM
Methodological detailspublished after 2002, random-effects meta-analysis
- Published after 2002
- Random-effects meta-analysis
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Risk factors, cases vs controls
- Compared with controls, cases had higher rates of obesity, preeclampsia, hypertension, diabetes, multiple gestations, and tobacco use
Further pooled results
Diabetes prevalence
Utilization of public payer
Recovery in ejection fraction
Mortality
Mean
| Outcome | Black cases | White cases |
|---|---|---|
| Left ventricular ejection fraction · At presentation | 26% | 29% |
- Diabetes prevalence: P = 0.027
- Utilization of public payer: P < 0.001
- Recovery in ejection fraction: P < 0.0001
- Mortality: P = 0.013
Original publication
Racial Disparities in U.S. Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors and Outcomes. JACC Adv. Published 16 March 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it