Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

Overview

Studies document worse maternal-health outcomes, including higher rates of complications, delays in time-sensitive care, and adverse fetal outcomes. Over time, severe maternal mortality has steadily increased in the U.S., affecting tens of thousands of pregnant people each year.

Sources

The U.S. Maternal Health Divide: The Limited Maternal Health Services and Worse Outcomes of States Proposing New Abortion Restrictions Linked here
“Maternal morbidity and fetal outcomes among pregnant women at 22 weeks’ gestation or less with complications in 2 Texas hospitals after legislation on abortion,” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2022 Linked here
“State Abortion Policies and Maternal Death in the United States, 2015‒2018”, American Journal of Public Health Linked here
Stevenson, Amanda J., et al. The Maternal Mortality Consequences of Losing Abortion Access. University of Colorado Boulder, SocArXiv, 29 June 2022, Linked here

Research/Statistics

Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) refers to labor and delivery outcomes resulting in short or long-term consequences to the person’s health. Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States: A Primer, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2021 Linked here
- “SMM has been steadily increasing in recent years….” In 2014 (most recent available data) it has affected more than 50,000 women in the U.S.
A National Survey of OBGYNs’ Experiences After Dobbs, KFF, Frederiksen, Brittni et al., June 2023, Linked here
Study Estimating Maternal Mortality Post-Dobbs Linked here
- National and State specific estimates based upon previously published statistics for maternal mortality are detailed in this study.

- The authors estimate that if none of the 2020 U.S. abortions occurred the result would be 24% more U.S. maternal deaths overall and 39% more U.S. maternal deaths among non-Hispanic Black individuals. (p.3)
- For state specific estimates see chart (p. 15)

Care Post-Roe: Documenting cases of poor-quality care since the Dobbs decision, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco, May 2023, Linked here
Nambiar, Anjali et al., Maternal morbidity and fetal outcomes among pregnant women at 22 weeks’ gestation or less with complications in 2 Texas hospitals after legislation on abortion, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Research Letter, 2022, Linked here

Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

Overview

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