An alarming rise in maternal mortality rates is causing concern in the United States. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed a significant increase of approximately 40% in the country’s maternal mortality rate in 2021 compared to the previous year. This surge resulted in 32.9 deaths per 100,000 births in 2021, up from 23.8 deaths per 100,000 births in 2020.
Various publications, including Vox, have highlighted this concerning trend. However, a new peer-reviewed study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests that the CDC’s data may have overestimated the US’s maternal mortality rate. Led by outside researchers, the study proposed a lower rate of 10.4 deaths per 100,000 births from 2018 to 2021, using a different calculation method than the CDC.
The study also reaffirmed the persistent racial disparities in maternal health, noting that Black women are three times more likely to experience fatal complications than white women. While the study’s methodology may have limitations, it sheds light on the challenges of documenting maternal mortality rates accurately.
Gathering reliable data on maternal mortality is crucial for understanding the underlying causes and implementing effective interventions. Despite the study’s findings suggesting a potentially lower maternal mortality rate in the US, experts emphasize that any maternal death is a preventable tragedy that requires urgent attention.
The discrepancy in maternal mortality rates between the CDC’s data and the Joseph study stems from differences in how maternal deaths are calculated. The CDC’s approach, using death certificates and a pregnancy checkbox, may lead to an overestimation of maternal deaths. In contrast, the Joseph study focused on deaths explicitly attributed to pregnancy, resulting in a lower but possibly underestimated figure.
The study underscores the complexity and importance of accurate data collection in addressing maternal mortality. In the US, discrepancies in data collection methods and definitions of maternal deaths pose challenges in understanding the true scope of the issue. Experts stress the need for a comprehensive approach to data gathering, similar to the UK’s method, to improve maternal health outcomes.