Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025 Nov 4;19:e309. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2025.10234.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Despite growing research on disaster-related health impacts, pregnant individuals remain understudied. This study explores the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women affected by Hurricane Harvey.
METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 4,951 pregnant individuals (511 directly impacted) was conducted to identify predictors of disrupted healthcare, financial loss, and mental health outcomes.
RESULTS: Social and structural vulnerabilities significantly influenced disaster impact. Pregnant individuals who were foreign-born racial/ethnic minorities (16.7% non-Latinx Black, 10.2% Latinx vs. 8.3% non-Latinx White), low-income (13.0% vs. 8.0%), less educated (12.5% vs. 7.6%), reliant on public healthcare (81% vs. 33.5%), or with limited maternity care access (11.4% vs. 54.8%) were disproportionately affected (all p < 0.001). Conversely, post-disaster anxiety was more common among U.S.-born (14.8% vs. 8.0%), college-educated (19.0% vs. 9.8%), and higher-income individuals (21.2% vs. 7.9%) (all p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Disadvantaged pregnant populations face greater disruption during disasters, while those with fewer vulnerabilities may experience more prolonged anxiety.
PMID:41185572 | DOI:10.1017/dmp.2025.10234
