Majority of Pregnancy-Related Deaths are Preventable

More than 80% of maternal deaths across 36 states could have been prevented, according to the CDC’s review of pregnancy-related mortality. The data, from multidisciplinary state and local maternal mortality review committees supported by the CDC, showed mental health conditions were the number one cause of pregnancy-related mortality linked to 23% of deaths, including suicide and overdose or poisoning related to substance use disorder. The report highlights “the need for quality improvement initiatives in states, hospitals, and communities that ensure all people who are pregnant or postpartum get the right care at the right time.”