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Study Challenges Reported Rise in U.S. Maternal Mortality Rates

New research suggests stable maternal mortality rates between 1999 and 2021, highlighting the need for improved data accuracy and efforts to address racial disparities.

By 2018, all 50 states had added a checkbox to death certificates to indicate whether a deceased woman was pregnant at or around her time of death. A new study suggests that the surveillance strategy may overestimate maternal mortality.
A mom holds a newborn baby while lying in a hospital bed
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Overview

  • A new study challenges the reported increase in U.S. maternal mortality rates, suggesting stable rates between 1999-2002 and 2018-2021.
  • The study attributes overestimation of maternal deaths to misclassification errors, particularly the misuse of a pregnancy checkbox on death certificates.
  • Despite stable overall rates, significant racial disparities in maternal mortality persist, with non-Hispanic Black women at higher risk.
  • The study's findings call for improved accuracy in maternal mortality surveillance and targeted efforts to address racial disparities.
  • Experts stress the importance of refining data collection methods to better understand and address maternal health issues.