Perinatal and neonatal palliative care: targeting the underserved

Most of the pediatric deaths which occur annually occur among newborns and infants. Significant disparities exist in perinatal and infant mortality rates, with African-American women at highest risk of complicated pregnancies and African-American infants most likely to die. And while race is a risk factor for pregnancy complications regardless of socioeconomic status, minority women who also suffer from poverty, limited education, and barriers to health care have the highest risk pregnancies. It is imperative that perinatal and neonatal palliative care services directly address the needs of these families. This study reviews what we know about the populations of families who are most likely to experience perinatal and neonatal complications, highlighting opportunities for palliative care delivery to target the underserved.