80% of maternal deaths are preventable. How NY plans to save more mothers' lives.
Nationally, maternal deaths spiked 56% from 2019 to 2021, rising to nearly 1,200 in 2021, the latest federal data show.
COVID-19 contributed to about 25% of maternal deaths during the pandemic’s first two years.
In New York, Black women remained five times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women, a state panel found.
After years of struggle, New York’s push to improve maternal and pregnancy health is poised to gain traction in 2023 as a key health panel leads government budget and medical system reforms.
The panel, called the maternal-mortality review board, reported recently that nearly 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable, citing factors such as health inequality and mental health care failures.
Now, the panel is expected to drive new approaches to saving more mothers' lives with its ongoing rollout of maternal health recommendations for lawmakers and doctors.
