(Virginia Tech) African-American women undergo more physical ‘wear-and-tear’ during the first year after giving birth than Latina and white women, a consequence that may have long-lasting health effects, according to a study of a diverse group of more than 2,400 low-income women. The study today (Friday, Dec. 14) in the week’s American Journal of Perinatology involved women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who were interviewed and evaluated at five different clinical sites in the United States.