Maternal and Child Health Journal

, Volume 19, Issue 11, pp 2512–2522 | Cite as

Birth Outcomes in a Disaster Recovery Environment: New Orleans Women After Katrina

  • Emily W. Harville
  • Gloria Giarratano
  • Jane Savage
  • Veronica Barcelona de Mendoza
  • TrezMarie Zotkiewicz
Article
First Online:

Abstract

Objectives

To examine how the recovery following Hurricane Katrina affected pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

308 New Orleans area pregnant women were interviewed 5–7 years after Hurricane Katrina about their exposure to the disaster (danger, damage, and injury); current disruption; and perceptions of recovery. Birthweight, gestational age, birth length, and head circumference were examined in linear models, and low birthweight (<2500 g) and preterm birth (<37 weeks) in logistic models, with adjustment for confounders.

Results

Associations were found between experiencing damage during Katrina and birthweight (adjusted beta for high exposure = −158 g) and between injury and gestational age (adjusted beta = −0.5 days). Of the indicators of recovery experience, most consistently associated with worsened birth outcomes was worry that another hurricane would hit the region (adjusted beta for birthweight: −112 g, p = 0.08; gestational age: −3.2 days, p = 0.02; birth length: −0.65 cm, p = 0.06).

Conclusions

Natural disaster may have long-term effects on pregnancy outcomes. Alternately, women who are most vulnerable to disaster may be also vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcome.

Keywords

Disaster Pregnancy Birthweight 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by NIH Grant R03 NR012052 to G.G.

Supplementary material

10995_2015_1772_MOESM1_ESM.doc (342 kb)
Supplementary material 1 (DOC 342 kb)

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Emily W. Harville
    • 1
  • Gloria Giarratano
    • 2
  • Jane Savage
    • 2
    • 3
  • Veronica Barcelona de Mendoza
    • 1
    • 2
  • TrezMarie Zotkiewicz
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of EpidemiologyTulane University School of Public Health and Tropical MedicineNew OrleansUSA
  2. 2.Department of NursingLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansUSA
  3. 3.Department of NursingLoyola UniversityNew OrleansUSA
  4. 4.Independent ScholarNew OrleansUSA

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