Exploring the Systemic Causes of Maternal Mortality in the US

A 2022 report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explored the underlying causes of high maternal mortality in the US. Over 75% of maternal deaths happen after returning from the hospital after delivery and 80% were preventable. A new article in Health Affairs, explains how the underlying design of our maternal care systems contributes to the problem

According to Alex F. Pearl and Neel Shah, “From its original design in 1930, prenatal care has remained centered on physical clinics, where maternity care professionals detect complications of pregnancy, namely high-blood pressure. To this end, care is delivered through a fixed schedule of 12 to 14 in-person visits, a model that has little underpinning in actual evidence. This century-old model was generated before the birth of the internet, electronic blood pressure cuffs, and telemedicine.”

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(Source: Health Affairs, March 20^th, 2023)