Workshop on Social Determinants of Health and Obstetric Outcomes

William Grobman and his team at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine will convene a diverse group of clinicians, researchers, national and community organizations, policy experts, and patient advocates to discuss the epidemiology of social determinants of health (SDOH), systemic racism and obstetric outcomes, physiologic translation of SDOH on the pregnant person and future generations, and interventions and strategies to ameliorate SDOH effects and effects of racism on obstetric outcomes. The first day of the two-day workshop will focus on exposing attendees to novel research, findings, and interventions with the potential for implementation in obstetrics. They will also discuss the epidemiology of systemic racism and address how it impacts outcomes, for example, the relationship of redlining and segregation to disparities or how to define food insecurity. The second day focuses on convening small-group conversations where attendees discuss barriers, facilitators, and best practices to conduct research or implement interventions addressing SDOH in obstetric settings. Topics explored will lead to understanding the physiologic impact of structural racism on health outcomes and identifying potential interventions to mitigate its impact and propose clinical, research, payment and policy recommendations related to social determinants of health and obstetric outcomes, with a focus on structural racism and its impact on maternal health outcomes.