Researchers revealed today, Monday, that the number of American women who died within a year after pregnancy increased more than double between 1999 and 2019, with the highest number of deaths occurring among Black women. A study published in the medical journal JAMA indicates that there were an estimated 1,210 maternal deaths in 2019, compared to around 505 in 1999.
The researchers stated that the largest increases during this period were among women from Indigenous communities, such as American Indians and Alaska Natives. They estimated that the number of deaths per 100,000 live births rose from 12.7 to 32.2 overall, from 14.0 to 49.2 among American Indians and Alaska Natives, from 26.7 to 55.4 among Black women, from 9.6 to 20.9 among Asians and those of Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander descent, from 9.6 to 19.1 among Latinos, and from 9.4 to 26.3 among whites.
Unlike previous American studies on maternal mortality that focused on national trends, the current study analyzed data state by state. The researchers were surprised to find that the highest rates of maternal deaths in some northeastern states were among Black women.
The maternal death rate in southern states was high among all races and ethnic groups, but particularly among Black women, while the Midwest and Great Plains states had the highest rates of deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native women. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the most common causes of death within one year after the end of pregnancy included mental health conditions, acute bleeding, coronary artery diseases, infections, blood clots, and pregnancy-related hypertension.
Dr. Alison Bryant from Mass General Brigham in Boston, who led the study, stated, "Our results provide important insights into postpartum maternal mortality rates in the years prior to the pandemic, and we are likely to see a continued increase in postpartum maternal mortality risks among all population groups if we analyze data from subsequent years." She added, "It is probable that Black women will continue to have the highest rates, but there may be a greater rise in some other groups in recent years."
