Maternal mortality rates in the United States have more than doubled in two decades, according to a new study published July 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Maternal deaths are those that happen during or up to one year after pregnancy.
The study found an estimated 1,210 maternal deaths in 2019, compared to 505 in 1999. The most deaths occurred among Black women, while the largest increases in deaths were found in American Indian and Native Alaskan mothers.
“Maternal mortality is a crisis in the United States. These rates have been increasing over the past several decades and were exacerbated by the pandemic,” said study author Dr. Allison Bryant, senior medical director for health equity at Mass General Brigham….