Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The number of Americans dying due to pregnancy or childbirth soared in 2021, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, a troubling finding following decades of steady increases that disproportionately affect Black mothers and cements the country’s reputation as a singularly dangerous place for new mothers compared to other wealthy nations. Key Facts In 2021, 1,205 women died due to conditions caused or worsened by pregnancy or childbirth, according to the latest report from the National Center for Health Statistics. The figure, a nearly 40% jump from the year before, is a marked increase from preceding years: 861 women died of maternal causes in 2021 and 754 did in 2019. This means the overall mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, the report said, up from 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019. Black women, who … [Read more...] about Maternal Deaths Spiked In 2021—Particularly Among Black Women—As U.S. Maintains Deadly Reputation For Pregnancy And Childbirth