New data reveals a significant decline in the number of women dying during or shortly after childbirth in 2022, following alarming increases observed in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 817 women succumbed to maternal causes in the United States in 2022, a decrease from 1,205 deaths in 2021 and 861 in 2020. The maternal death rate decreased to 22.3 per 100,000 births in 2022, compared to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 births in 2021. While provisional data suggests a further decrease to 19 deaths per 100,000 births in 2023, these figures await confirmation through death certificates and additional data, as explained by Donna Hoyert from the CDC’s Division of Vital Statistics.
However, the disparities in maternal deaths persist, particularly affecting Black women who remain nearly three times more likely to die during or after childbirth compared to white women. Although maternal deaths among Black women decreased in 2022, the number of fatalities remained significantly higher compared to non-Black mothers. Black mothers experienced a maternal mortality rate of 49.5 deaths per 100,000 births, while white women had a rate of 19 deaths per 100,000, Hispanic women 16.9, and Asian women 13.2.
Teresa Janevic, an epidemiology associate professor at Columbia University, emphasized the preventable nature of most pregnancy-related deaths and the need to address this disparity. Maternal mortality, as defined by the World Health Organization, encompasses the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of childbirth or pregnancy termination due to pregnancy-related causes such as severe bleeding, infections, blood clots, or mental health issues.
Hoyert highlighted a considerable drop in deaths directly related to COVID-19, with infections listed as the cause or contributing factor in 429 maternal deaths in 2021 compared to 88 in 2022. Nevertheless, the pandemic’s indirect impact, including job loss, loss of health insurance, and disruptions in routine care, exacerbated pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.
Linda Goler Blount, president of the nonprofit Black Women’s Health Imperative, pointed out the intersection of social, medical, and healthcare delivery factors contributing to maternal mortality, particularly affecting Black women and low-income individuals. The lack of standard care, especially in states without Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, exacerbates the situation.
High-profile cases like Serena Williams’ pregnancy complications and the federal civil rights investigation into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center highlight the urgent need to address racial disparities in maternal healthcare. Age is also a risk factor, with women over 40 having the highest maternal mortality rate.
Overall, efforts to reduce maternal mortality must address systemic inequalities and prioritize equitable access to quality healthcare for all women.
