Good on Paper What Do We Really Know About the Maternal-Mortality Crisis?
Aug 6, 2024
Saloni Dattani, a researcher at Our World in Data, dives into the alarming rise in maternal mortality rates in the U.S. She reveals that this spike might stem from measurement changes rather than a true increase in deaths. The discussion unpacks how historical data classifications and pandemic influences shaped current statistics. Saloni emphasizes the importance of accurate data interpretation and effective communication to address misconceptions, stressing the need for transparency in public health narratives.
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Measurement, Not A Sudden Crisis
- The apparent doubling of U.S. maternal mortality from 1999–2019 largely reflects a measurement change, not a true surge in deaths.
- A 1994 ICD recommendation to add a pregnancy checkbox improved detection but also introduced overcounts and false positives.
Checkbox Changed How Deaths Get Counted
- The ICD guidance asked countries to count deaths during pregnancy or within six weeks as maternal deaths for medical causes, and to add a pregnancy checkbox on death certificates.
- That checkbox was intended to standardize detection and prompt follow-up investigations into whether pregnancy worsened the condition.
Staggered State Adoption Skewed Trends
- The U.S. adopted the pregnancy checkbox gradually across states from 2003–2017, producing stepwise jumps in reported maternal mortality rates.
- Aggregate national data therefore looked like a steady rise even though many state-level increases were sudden measurement artifacts.