**NOTE** Medical advancements have saved the lives of women and babies at risk for injury or death during pregnancy and birth. This site is not about the doctors who properly use interventions to save lives; it is about those who use them unethically for profit or convenience. Improperly used interventions have led to harm and death of women and babies and obstetrics is the only field in which mortality rates are rising and non-medically needed interventions such as c-sections are related to 66% of maternal deaths.
**NOTE** This site is designed to share valid evidence for those working to change the maternal healthcare system who do not have access to databases of peered research.
**NOTE** Chronological order allows users to find new data. It also begs the question of why, when we have known for decades that such practices are harmful, do they not only continue to be used but are increasingly used.
MATERNAL MORTALITY
WHAT DOES THE LITERATURE SAY?
2025
CDC Foundation (2025).Report from Nine Maternal Mortality Review Committees. Access https://www.cdcfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/ReportfromNineMMRCs.pdf
- The Nine Committees estimated that over 60% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable. The most common factors identified as contributing to the death were patient/family factors (e.g., lack of knowledge on warning signs and need to seek care) followed by provider (e.g., misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments) and systems of care factors (e.g., lack of coordination between providers). While the Nine Committees most commonly identified patient factors, the patient factors identified are often dependent on providers and systems of care.
2024
Barrientos, D., Bibiano, N., Cruz, S., Hernandez, M., Martin, A., Mueller, C., Tran, J., Krumwiede, K., Murphy, M., and Short, S., (2024). Addressing Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities Through Patient Education and Increasing Healthcare Professionals’ Cultural Competency to Reduce Maternal Mortality in the United States. Access https://openworks.mdanderson.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=rmps
- In the United States of America, there is a consistent increase of maternal mortality rates compared to other nations throughout the world. In the delivery of maternal care in the U.S., there are specific demographics that are facing the burden of maternal mortality due to racial and socioeconomic disparities. In understanding the rate differences and background information of the quality of maternal and prenatal care, the restructuring and implementation of educational programs for both healthcare professionals and pregnant women are vital to decrease and save patients lives
Berg, S. (2024). It Will Take All of Medicine to Reduce Maternal Mortality. Access https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/population-health/it-will-take-all-medicine-reduce-maternal-mortality
- Though preventable, maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the U.S. continue to be alarmingly high. With mental health conditions, anemia, cardiac disease and hypertension being the top causes of maternal mortality, over 80% of these deaths are preventable. There is an urgent need to lower these rates, which will require expertise and collaboration across various physician specialties
Gunja, M., Gumas, E., Masitha, R., and Zephryn, L. (2024). Insights into the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis: An International Comparison. Access https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2024/jun/insights-us-maternal-mortality-crisis-international-comparison
- The United States continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, despite a decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. And within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women. Most of these deaths — over 80 percent — are likely preventable
Lowther, T. (2024). Invisible Victims: How Maternal Near-Misses Result in Trauma and PTSD in Birthing Partners. Access https://postpartum.net/invisible-victims-how-maternal-near-misses-result-in-trauma-and-ptsd-in-birthing-partners/
- According to the World Health Organization, a maternal near-miss is defined as “a woman who nearly died but survived a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum up to 42 days.” The United States is a developed country and far ahead in many areas; however, we are failing and literally killing women. Maternal mortality rates are ranked 55th overall, falling behind Russia, and death rates are on the rise according to AJOG. The statistics are far worse for women of color, especially Black women, who, according to the CDC, have three times the maternal mortality rate as White women. The United States’ poor ranking, maternal near-misses, deaths, and lack of postpartum care constitute an epidemic in its own right. While the United States is making small strides in improving its status on maternal deaths, there is minimal research on the impact of near-misses on partners and the overall impact on child bonding and family systems
2023
Hoyer, D. (2023). Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021. Accessed https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2021/maternal-mortality-rates-2021.htm#:~:text=The%20maternal%20mortality%20rate%20for,20.1%20in%202019%20(Table)
- The maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019. In 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black (subsequently, Black) women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White (subsequently, White) women (26.6) (Figure 1 and Table). Rates for Black women were significantly higher than rates for White and Hispanic women. The increases from 2020 to 2021 for all race and Hispanic-origin groups were significant
Illinois Department of Public Health (2023). Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. Accessed https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/life-stages-populations/maternal-child-family-health-services/maternal-health/mmmr.html
- Site has links to several reports from the Maternal Mortality committee
Katella, K., (2023). Maternal Mortality is on the Rise: 8 Things to Know. Access https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/maternal-mortality-on-the-rise
- There are many reasons for the increased risk of pregnancy complications that lead to maternal death, ranging from women getting pregnant at older ages, to inequities in health care, to a rise in chronic health conditions. But about 84% of pregnancy-related deaths are thought to be preventable, according to data from state committees that review maternal deaths.
Tennessee Department of Health (2023). Maternal Mortality review. Accessed https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/fhw/maternal-mortality-review.html
- Caring for Motherhood, maternal mental health support, a journey through postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma, and trauma-informed care. TIPQC’s new project is the Promotion of Vaginal Deliveries. The project aim is to promote safe vaginal delivery for all in the birthing population presenting with a nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex pregnancy and thus decrease NTSV cesarean delivery rates to < 23.6% (Health People Goal 2030) in all participating Tennessee birthing facilities by Summer of 2024.
2022
Gunja, M., Gumas, E. and Williams, R. (2022). The U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis Continues to Worsen: An International Comparison. Accessed https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2022/us-maternal-mortality-crisis-continues-worsen-international-comparison
- The maternal mortality rate in the United States has for many years exceeded that of other high-income countries. Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show rates worsening around the world in recent years, as well as a widening gap between the U.S. and its peer nations
2021
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (2021) Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Birth. Accessed https://saferbirth.org/psbs/safe-reduction-of-primary-cesarean-birth/
- Goals include guidelines for promotion of vaginal delivery and decreased cesarean section delivery through education of healthcare teams on approaches which maximize the likelihood of vaginal delivery
New York State Department of Health (2021). Taskforce on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes. Accessed https://www.health.ny.gov/community/adults/women/task_force_maternal_mortality/
- The multi-pronged initiative includes efforts to review and better address maternal death and morbidity with a focus on racial disparities, expanding community outreach, and taking new actions to increase access to prenatal and perinatal care, including establishing a pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021). Health People 2030 – Reduce Maternal Deaths Accessed https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/pregnancy-and-childbirth/reduce-maternal-deaths-mich-04
- Women in the United States are more likely to die from childbirth or problems related to pregnancy than women in other high-income countries. In addition, there are persistent disparities by race/ethnicity. Improving the quality of medical care for women before, during, and after pregnancy can help reduce maternal deaths.
2020
Melillo, G. (2020). U.S. ranks worst in maternal care, maternal mortality compared with 10 other developed nations. Accessed https://www.ajmc.com/view/us-ranks-worst-in-maternal-care-mortality-compared-with-10-other-developed-nations
- Among 11 developed countries, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate, a relative undersupply of maternity care providers, and is the only country not to guarantee access to provider home visits or paid parental leave in the postpartum period, a recent report from The Commonwealth Fund concluded. Compared with any other wealthy nation, the United States also spends the highest percentage of its gross domestic product on health care
North Carolina Institute of Medicine (2020). Healthy Moms, Health Babies. Accessed https://nciom.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Perinatal-Report-FINAL.pdf
- Rates of SMM have been on the rise, likely due to increases in maternal age, pre-pregnancy obesity, preexisting medical conditions, and cesarean deliveries
Tikkanen, R., Gunja, M., Fitzgerald, M. and Zephryn, L. (2020). Maternal Mortality and Maternal Care in the United States Compared to 10 Other Developed Countries. Accessed https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/nov/maternal-mortality-maternity-care-us-compared-10-countries
- The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries. Obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) are overrepresented in its maternity care workforce relative to midwives, and there is an overall shortage of maternity care providers (both ob-gyns and midwives) relative to births. In most other countries, midwives outnumber ob-gyns by severalfold, and primary care plays a central role in the health system. Although a large share of its maternal deaths occur postbirth, the U.S. is the only country not to guarantee access to provider home visits or paid parental leave in the postpartum period.
Leonard, S., Main, E., and Carmichael, S. (2019).The Contribution of Maternal Characteristics and Cesarean Delivery to an Increasing Trend of Severe Maternal Morbidity. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. Access https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-018-2169-3
- Pre-pregnancy health and cesarean delivery are important risk factors for severe maternal morbidity but do not explain an increasing trend of severe maternal morbidity in California during 2007–2014. Investigation of other potential contributors is needed in order to identify ways to reverse the trend of severe maternal morbidity.
2018
New York State Department of Health (2018) New York State Pregnancy – Associated Mortality Review. Accesed https://www.scnylegislature.us/DocumentCenter/View/89293/2018-NYS-Pregnancy-Associated-Mortality-Review-PDF AND https://www.health.ny.gov/community/adults/women/docs/maternal_mortality_review_2018.pdf
- Hospitals should implement the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) bundle3 to reduce cesarean delivery rates. The pregnancy-related mortality rate for cesarean delivery was 1.7 times that of vaginal delivery (15.8 vs 9.4 deaths per 100,000 live births). Women with cesarean deliveries comprised 42.9% of deliveries among pregnancy-related deaths, while accounting for 33.8% of all NYS live births. Women with vaginal deliveries comprised 50.0% of deliveries among pregnancy related deaths, while accounting for 66.0% of all NYS live births. It was determined that 78.0% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
2015
Wilson Center (2015). What explains the United States’ dismal maternal mortality rates? Accessed https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/what-explains-the-united-states-dismal-maternal-mortality-rates
- Despite spending two and half times more per person on health than the OECD average, the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. increased from 12 to 14 deaths per 100,000 live births from 1990 to 2015, putting the United States at 46th in the world.