US maternal death rate surged in 2021, CDC data shows

“In 2021, 1,205 women died of maternal causes in the United States compared with 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019. The maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019,” CDC report said.

“In 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women. Rates for Black women were significantly higher than rates for White and Hispanic women. The increases from 2020 to 2021 for all race and Hispanic-origin groups were significant,” the report noted.

According to experts, the United States’ ongoing maternal mortality crisis was compounded by Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a increase in deaths. (ILKHA)