U.S. Maternal Death Rates Soar
NEWS BRIEF: Some states, racial and ethnic groups are affected more than others in new data that reflects deeper nationwide health problems
Between 1999 and 2019, maternal mortality more than doubled among all ethnic and racial groups in the United States, a new study suggests. The rising death rates, based on new estimates, were notably higher in some states and among certain populations.
“Maternal mortality is a crisis in the United States,” study co-author Allison Bryant, MD, the senior medical director for health equity at Mass General Brigham, said in a statement.
Among the findings, published July 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA):
- Rates were highest among Black women.
- The largest increases were found among native populations.
- States with the highest rates were in the northern Mountain region, the Midwest and the South.
Maternal mortality is defined as a death occurring up to a year after the end of pregnancy. Common causes include heart problems, infections, substance abuse and suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study relied on pre-pandemic data, but the researchers say rates only increased in 2020 and 2021. There are limitations to the research: Information about causes of maternal death is not always available, and methods for recording maternal deaths changed during the study period. Some modeling of the data was therefore necessary.
Nonetheless, the rising death rates reflect a deeper problem with health and healthcare in the country, the researchers say. Structural racism and interpersonal racism play into the high rates among some groups, Bryant said.
“These disparities in maternal mortality are just the tip of the iceberg and tell us a lot about the health risks facing people in the states where these deaths are most likely to occur, “ said study co-author Greg Roth, an associate professor of cardiology and a director at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. “In the U.S., maternal deaths are often caused by vascular diseases like severe high blood pressure or blood clots. So maternal deaths share many of the same drivers as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.”
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