Overview of Maternal Mortality in the United States
Abstract
Although dramatic improvements in pregnancy care and in general population health facilitated a dramatic decline in maternal mortality in the United States during the 20th century, women still die from complications of pregnancy. Moreover, rates appear to have increased during the early 21st century. This overview will provide context for understanding the problem of maternal mortality in the United States by outlining how maternal mortality rates are reported from National Vital Statistics data, and how pregnancy-related mortality ratios are reported from a national surveillance system. Trends and patterns in these deaths as well as emerging issues concerning causes of maternal deaths and the difficulty with interpreting trend data will be discussed.
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Maternal mortality has decreased in most developed countries over the past two decades, but recent reports show it has increased in the US.
“While maternal mortality has decreased in most developed countries over the past two decades, recent reports show maternal mortality has increased in the United States (US) [2, 3].”
From Age-related disparities in national maternal mortality trends: A population-based study (2025) · cites this paper as [2]
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References 24 · Cited by 170
- Authors
- Callaghan, W. M.
- Affiliations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- Corresponding author
- Callaghan, William M.
- Venue
- Seminars in Perinatology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-02
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 2-6
- ISSN
- 0146-0005 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2095416894
- Cited by
- 170
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 10.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Seminars in Perinatology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Maternal and fetal healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Keywords
- maternal mortality, pregnancy-related mortality, maternal death trends, causes of maternal death, national surveillance system, United States
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Death Certificates, Female, Humans, Maternal Mortality, Maternal Welfare, Population Surveillance, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, United States, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Young Adult
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