Being pregnant-related deaths in US surged throughout pandemic

By Mariam Sunny

(Reuters) – Maternal mortality charges rose 40% in 2021 in the USA because the COVID-19 pandemic worsened a well being disaster amongst pregnant girls within the nation, information from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Thursday.

The US has one of many highest charges of pregnancy-related deaths amongst developed nations. It recorded greater than 1,200 deaths in pregnant girls in 2021, in contrast with 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019, in accordance with CDC information.

“The quantity and share of maternal loss of life information mentioning COVID-19 had been higher in 2021 than in 2020, which (suggests) that COVID-19 has possible contributed to the rise in maternal deaths,” mentioned Donna Hoyert, creator of the examine at CDC’s Nationwide Heart for Well being Statistics.

About 32.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 reside births had been reported in 2021, in contrast with 23.8 deaths per 100,000 reside births in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019.

The mortality charge for Black girls in the USA was at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 reside births in 2021, about 3 instances increased than white and Hispanic girls.

UN businesses reported final month that just about all elements of the world noticed a spike in maternal mortality charges in 2020.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; modifying by Nancy Lapid and Shweta Agarwal)