Spatiotemporal patterns and surveillance artifacts in maternal mortality in the United States: a population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Reports of high and rising maternal mortality ratios (MMR) in the United States have caused serious concern. We examined spatiotemporal patterns in cause-specific MMRs, in order to obtain insights into the cause for the increase.

Methods

The study included all maternal deaths recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1999 to 2021. Changes in overall and cause-specific MMRs were quantified nationally; in low-vs high-MMR states (i.e., MMRs <20 vs ≥26 per 100,000 live births in 2018-2021); and in California vs Texas (populous states with low vs high MMRs). Cause-specific MMRs included those due to unambiguous causes (e.g., selected obstetric causes such as pre-eclampsia/eclampsia) and less-specific/potentially incidental causes (e.g., "other spe

SUBMITTER: Joseph KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11489048 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature