Pregnancy or its complications results in the deaths of approximately 700 women in the United States each year, and substantial racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related mortality exist. Data from CDC's Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS) for 2007-2016 showed American Indian/Alaska native women had the second highest pregnancy-related mortality ratios in the country, with 29.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. The highest pregnancy-related mortality ratios were observed among non-Hispanic Black women, with 40.8 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Among Asian/Pacific Islander non-Hispanic women, 13.5 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births were observed. The lowest pregnancy-related deaths were observed among Hispanic women, with 11.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Among White women, the ratio was 12.7 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births.
These disparities persisted over time and across age groups. The pregnancy-related mortality ratio for Black and American Indian/Alaska native women aged ≥ 30 years was approximately four to five times that of their White counterparts. In addition, the pregnancy-related mortality ratios for Black women with at least a college degree was 5.2 times higher than that of their White counterparts.
Learn more about racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy.
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Cite this: Arthur L. Caplan. Fast Five Quiz: Social Disparities in Healthcare - Medscape - Nov 24, 2020.
