Maternal Deaths Now Driven by Chronic, Mental Health Conditions
A major new study has found that pregnancy-related complications like hemorrhage are no longer the most common causes of maternal death in the U.S. Instead, non-obstetric conditions such as cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders, including suicide and overdose, now account for a growing majority of deaths among pregnant and postpartum women. The research calls for a broader clinical focus in perinatal care to include screening and management of these conditions.
- According to a CDC analysis of data from 2017-2019, mental health conditions—including suicides, overdoses, and other substance use-related issues—were the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, accounting for 23% of the total. Hemorrhage and cardiac conditions were the next leading causes, at 14% and 13% respectively. - The American Heart Association now officially includes psychological well-being in its definition of maternal cardiovascular health, citing the strong link between conditions like perinatal depression and anxiety and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The organization is calling for routine mental health screening for all pregnant and postpartum individuals for up to one year after birth. - Significant racial disparities persist; provisional CDC data from December 2024 shows the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 47.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is dramatically higher than the rates for White (15.2), Hispanic (13.1), and Asian (17.7) women. - Extending postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a full year is a key federal and state policy initiative to address this crisis, as many cardiovascular and mental health-related deaths occur more than two months after birth. Medicaid finances nearly half of all births in
