WOMEN’S HEALTH

Maternal Mortality Skyrocketed From 1999–2019

The first state-by-state analysis of five racial and ethnic groups shows dramatic increases in maternal mortality

Image courtesy of JAMA

Maternal mortality in the United States continues on a dramatic increase. A first-of-its-kind state-by-state analysis of five racial and ethnic groups recently showed sharp increases for all groups studied. The most dramatic increases were among American Indian and Alaskan Native people. Maternal mortality continues to be a public health issue that disproportionately affects non-white groups, and little has been done to address the issue.

While the average state-level rates started to level off around 2015 (pre-COVID) for Black women, the maternal mortality rates for them continue to be the highest of any group. The study published by the American Medical Association highlights how factors like structural and interpersonal racism play into the disparities. It notes how substantial prevention and awareness efforts around maternal mortality may have had an impact on some populations but not all.

Maternal mortality rates and disparities varied widely. The South had high maternal mortality across all race and ethnicity groups, but especially for Black women. Some states in the…