AP
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More US women died at birth last year, reversing the two-year decline, according to preliminary data posted Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 688 people died last year during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. This was the highest level in over 50 years since 2022 and 2021, up from 669 deaths.
The maternal mortality rate rose to 19 per 100,000 births, up from 18.6 the previous year.
The CDC counts women who died up to 42 days after birth from pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions. Excessive bleeding, vascular obstruction and infection are the main causes.
Such deaths have skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic as coronavirus was particularly dangerous for pregnant women. And on the worst days of the pandemic, experts say doctors may have increased their risks by ignoring the concerns of pregnant women.
The decline of Covid-19 is considered the main reason for the decline in mother deaths in 2022 and 2023, experts say.
However, these improvements are now offset by other factors that could reduce access to healthcare, experts say. They say the list includes the closure of rural hospitals and the US Supreme Court decision to abolish the federal government established rights for abortion.
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy countries. Previous studies have found wide racial disparities in such deaths, with black women dead at a much higher rate than white women.
