While the number of pregnancy-related deaths in the US has declined back to pre-pandemic levelsThe maternal mortality rate in the country is still high a national crisis – much higher than other high-income countries, a new report shows.
According to the Commonwealth Fund, a private research foundation, about 22 women died from childbirth-related causes in the United States in 2022 for every 100,000 live births. This makes the US the country with the highest rate of maternal mortality of all high-income countries. analyzed.
By comparison, the three countries with the lowest rates are Sweden, with almost three deaths per 100,000 births, Switzerland with one and Norway with zero.
Other countries analyzed included: Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand and Britain – in half of which fewer than five women died per 100,000 births. Maternal death can occur during pregnancy or in the year after childbirth. For example, in the first week after delivery, severe bleeding, high blood pressure and infection are the most common causes contributing to maternal mortality. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of U.S. mothers die during the postpartum period, the report said.
Within the US, the rate is lowest for Asian Americans and highest for black women. For Black women in the country, the rate rises to nearly 50 deaths per 100,000 births.
Previous research has shown this Black mothers receive poorer maternal care than white patients.
“Racial disparities exist both within hospitals and between hospitals when it comes to maternal morbidity,” the report said. “Disparities in access to care and patients’ healthcare experience are often rooted in physician discrimination and bias.”
What else could play a role in the drastic differences between countries? The types of support women get – or don’t get.
“Compared to women in the other countries we studied, American women are the least likely to receive support such as home visits and guaranteed paid leave during this critical time,” the report said.
High-quality postpartum care, including home visits, allows providers to assess maternal and mental health concerns. All countries surveyed, except the US, guarantee at least one home visit within a week after delivery.
In Switzerland this is much more: up to 16 home visits are covered by national insurance in the first 56 days after birth.
Paid leave follows a similar pattern.
“All countries included in this study, with the exception of the US, require a minimum of 14 weeks of paid leave from work. Several countries offer more than one year of parental or home care leave,” the report said.
The US and Canada also have the lowest supply of obstetricians and gynecologists, according to the report. However, Norway and Sweden are among the top four countries with the highest supply.
“Our findings suggest that a shortage of maternity care providers, especially midwives, and a lack of access to comprehensive postpartum support, including maternity care coverage and mandatory paid maternity leave, are factors contributing to maternal mortality,” the report adds. “Because both of these factors disproportionately impact women of color, putting equality at the center of future policy changes will be a key to addressing the crisis.”
