"Maternal Deaths In U.S. Are Up, So How Did California Cut Them By Half?" - Claire Cameron
In the United States, a woman’s chances of dying during or after pregnancy are higher than in any other developed nation – and they have been steadily getting worse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the ratio at 18 maternal deaths for every 100,000 births. Meanwhile, in Canada the rate is 7 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. While the United States overall has been grappling with high maternal death rates, there is one state that has been able to reverse the trend: California. California wants other states to copy their example, and it reflects a shift in attitudes to maternity care more broadly, said Elizabeth Howell, MD, MPP, director of the Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has released similar guidelines, or “bundles,” for hemorrhage and other medical emergencies. “There is a big national effort to improve care in hospitals,” said Dr. Howell.
- Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP, Associate Dean, Academic Development, Director, The Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute, Professor, Population Health Science and Policy, Psychiatry, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai