Maternal Mortality Unacceptably High in All Racial, Ethnic Groups

MONDAY, July 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal mortality remains high among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to a study published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Laura G. Fleszar, M.P.H., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues quantified trends in maternal mortality ratios (MMRs; maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) by state for five racial and ethnic groups using vital registration and census data from 1999 to 2019.

The researchers found that in most states in 2019, MMRs were higher among American Indian and Alaska Native and Black populations than among Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander; Hispanic; and White populations. The observed median state MMRs increased from 14.0 to 49.2 between 1999 and 2019 among the American Indian and Alaska Native population; from 26.7 to 55.4 among the Black population; from 9.6 to 20.9 among the Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander population; from 9.6 to 19.1 among the Hispanic population; and from 9.4 to 26.3 among the White population. The Black population had the highest median state MMR in each year between 1999 and 2019. From 1999 to 2019, the largest increases in median state MMRs were seen for the American Indian and Alaska Native population. The median of state MMRs increased for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States since 1999.

"Maternal mortality persists as a source of worsening disparities in many U.S. states and prevention efforts during this study period appear to have had a limited impact in addressing this health crisis," the authors write.

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