Maternal Deaths During Childbirth Spiked in The US During The Height of The Pandemic

Data recently released by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the rate of mothers dying during childbirth nearly doubled between 2018 (17.4 deaths for every 100 thousand live births) and 2021 (32.9 maternal deaths for every 100 thousand live births).

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The increase in maternal mortality rates was especially pronounced among black and indigenous women - in fact black women were 2.6 times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts in 2021. 

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The pandemic clearly provided a stress test to the entire global healthcare system that many places, including places within the US, were not able to withstand, and many pre-existing conditions of an inequitable healthcare system saw symptoms worsen in the time of emergency. 

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