Maternal Mortality: A Preventable Tragedy on the Rise in the US

Maternal death rates surged by nearly 40% during the second year of the pandemic, with Black women facing alarmingly high, disproportionate rates, according to a new federal analysis. Most maternal deaths are preventable, and the sobering rates continue to reveal deep flaws in health systems, such as structural racism, implicit bias, and communities losing access to care. COVID-19 likely contributed to the increases, but the disappearing maternal health care, coupled with the pandemic, exacerbates the problem for people who are already at high-risk.