A new study highlights how maternal mortality is on the rise in the United States, and it calls attention to the particularly dire impact it has on Black mothers—as well as women. Native American and Alaska Native women.
For context, Yale Medicine defines maternal mortality as occurring when “a woman dies during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period.”
Many Americans of all races are dying from problems related to pregnancy or work
The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study on Monday (July 3). It focused on maternal mortality (MMR) rates for different racial and ethnic groups in all 50 states from 1999 to 2019.
We should therefore add that the data do not take into account maternal deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, the researchers noted that MMR increased at least double among all racial and ethnic groups (Native Americans and Alaska Natives; Blacks; Hispanics; Asians, Native Hawaiians, or other Pacific Islanders; and Blacks; and white) for a period of 20 years.
In addition, the results found, “In each of the years from 1999 to 2019, the Black population had the state’s highest median MMR.” This means that while overall maternal mortality is affecting more women, black mothers continue to die at the highest rates.
While the Black community consistently had the highest MMR, the “biggest increase” was among Native American and Alaskan Indian mothers.
“The American Indian and Alaska Native populations experienced the largest increase in state median MMR from 1999 to 2019.”
Maternal mortality continues to be the cause of widening disparities in many U.S. states, and prevention efforts during this study period appear to have had limited impact in addressing the problem. this health crisis. https://t.co/ASm58MiqLz
– JAMA (@JAMA_current) July 3, 2023
Maternal mortality continues to worsen in the US over time
Sadly, maternal mortality also increased as people honed in the 2010s, as AP News notes.
Compared to the first decade of the study, the states of Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas saw a 93% increase in MMR among Black mothers between 2009 and 2019.
For Indian and Alaska Native women, the states of Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Rhode Island and Wisconsin had a 162% increase in maternal mortality.
Collectively, the findings suggest that “blacks and Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Americans are at higher risk” of maternal mortality.
“While maternal mortality remains unacceptably high for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, American Indians and Alaska Natives and blacks are at increased risk of increased, especially in some states where these inequalities had not previously been highlighted.”
The researchers ended by noting, “Maternal mortality persists as a source of growing disparities in many US states.”
AP News reported that Dr. Karen Joynt Maddox of the University of Washington School of Medicine said the findings did not surprise her.
“I hate to say it, but I’m not surprised by the findings. We’ve certainly seen enough anecdotal evidence in one state or group of states to suggest that maternal mortality is increasing.”
She added, “It’s certainly alarming, and we need more evidence to figure out what’s going on and try to find a way to address this.”
