The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, despite improvements since the pandemic, a new report from the Commonwealth Fund reveals. In 2022, the U.S. recorded 22.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, a staggering 395 percent higher than the median rate of 4.5 deaths per 100,000 in other wealthy nations.
The report highlights significant racial disparities, with Black women experiencing a mortality rate of 49.5 deaths per 100,000 births, 160 percent higher than the rate for white women. The authors suggest that around 80 percent of these deaths are preventable through societal and institutional changes, such as implementing a universal health care system and providing regular home visits and guaranteed paid leave for new parents.
The U.S. remains the only high-income country without a government-funded national health care system, which would improve access to postpartum support for all communities. The lack of a federally mandated paid leave policy
disproportionately affects Black and lower-income women, who are less likely to have employer-provided paid leave.
The report emphasizes the need for systemic changes to address the alarming maternal mortality rates and racial disparities in the United States, urging policymakers to prioritize the health and well-being of new mothers across all communities.
See: “US Postpartum Mortality Rate 395 Percent Higher Than Other Wealthy Countries” (June 5, 2024)
