NEW YORK — In 2023, the maternal mortality rate among Black women in the United States was approximately 3.5 times higher than that of their white counterparts during childbirth, according to newly released federal health statistics. While overall maternal death rates fell below pre-pandemic levels, the racial disparities in maternal health appear to have increased.
Previously, in 2021 and 2022, Black women experienced a maternal death rate that was about 2.6 times greater compared to white women. The data indicates that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic affected all pregnant women; however, Dr. Amanda Williams, the interim medical director for March of Dimes, noted that once “normal activities” resumed, the effects of systemic racism and limited access to healthcare revived their negative influence.
Report findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Wednesday utilized death certificates to compile their information, covering fatalities occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, and up to 42 days post-delivery, excluding accidental deaths. Key highlights from the report include:
1. The maternal mortality rate for white women decreased from 19 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 14.5 per 100,000 in 2023.
2. The rate for Black women increased slightly from 49.5 to just above 50, though this change was not statistically significant.
3. Maternal death rates for Hispanic women fell from approximately 17 to about 12.
4. Rates for Asian American women decreased from around 13 to 11.
In total, 669 women lost their lives in 2023 due to complications during pregnancy or shortly following childbirth. This figure signifies a decrease from 817 deaths in 2022 and 1,205 in 2021, marking the highest rates in over 50 years. Major causes of maternal mortality include excessive bleeding, blocked blood vessels, and infections, with COVID-19 identified among those infection-related deaths.
The risk that COVID-19 posed to pregnant women was profound, particularly during the most severe phases of the pandemic, potentially exacerbated by healthcare providers being overwhelmed and failing to address the concerns of expecting mothers. However, the overall impact of COVID-19 on pregnancies has diminished as normal operations at hospitals and birthing centers resumed.
Moreover, the federal Medicaid program now extends coverage for postpartum care from seven weeks to 12 months, an alteration that has reportedly aided more mothers in recovering and optimizing their health for future pregnancies, according to Williams.
The overall maternal mortality rate is also influenced by the number of pregnancies; as U.S. birth rates decline, fewer pregnancies lead to a decrease in pregnancy-related deaths. Eugene Declercq, a researcher focused on maternal mortality at Boston University, highlighted this connection. While the government continues to receive and process death reports from the previous year, preliminary analyses by Declercq suggest that maternal death rates in 2024 may mirror those of 2023.
