U.S. pregnancy-related deaths rise 28%, disparities observed

U.S. pregnancy-related deaths rose 28% from 2018 to 2022, with stark racial disparities observed, a JAMA Network Open study found. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, the cross-sectional analysis of 6,283 pregnancy-related U.S. deaths found American Indian and Alaska Native women had the highest rates (106.3 deaths per 100,000 live births), followed by non-Hispanic Black women (76.9 deaths per 100,000 live births). The authors call the rates “an urgent public health priority.” Another study found heart-related maternal death rates more than doubled between 1999 and 2022, with Black women three times more likely to die than white women were. Meanwhile, the LeapFrog Group released its 2025 Maternity Care Report, finding Black women are more likely to have Cesarean sections in some hospitals. (JAMA Network Open article, 4/9/25)