Severe maternal morbidity in the United States: a primer
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Data brief (Commonwealth Fund)
- Author(s):
- Declercq, Eugene, author Zephyrin, Laurie, author
- Contributor(s):
- Commonwealth Fund, issuing body.
- Publication:
- [New York, New York] : The Commonwealth Fund, October 2021
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Health Status Disparities Maternal Health -- statistics & numerical data Morbidity Pregnancy Complications -- epidemiology United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Maternal mortality rates are a key indicator of the health and well-being of a society. Yet this measure does not capture everything related to maternal health and well-being. It is also crucial to track: (1)"Near miss" events that could have resulted in death. (2) Severe maternal morbidity, defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as "unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short- or long-term consequences to a woman's health." (3) Serious illnesses that occur during pregnancy, like ectopic pregnancy, and the postpartum period, like cardiomyopathy. A richer understanding of maternal health before, during, and after childbirth is a foundation for developing safer, more effective approaches to maternal care. While maternal deaths in the United States number about 650 to 750 annually, severe maternal morbidity affects approximately 50,000 to 60,000 women each year, and the numbers are increasing. As with maternal deaths, many cases of maternal morbidity can be avoided. This report describes the severity and breadth of the maternal morbidity crisis in the U.S. and shows why addressing it is critical to advancing maternal health equity. A companion to Maternal Mortality in the United States: A Primer, it is the latest in a series of Commonwealth Fund publications investigating the causes of poor maternal outcomes--including stark racial inequities--and identifying potential solutions.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (14 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918300978006676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918300978006676