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Statement

Alarming, Horrifying Maternal Mortality Data, Released Today, an Urgent Call for Congress to Pass the Momnibus Bill

February 23, 2022
Maternal Health, Maternal Mortality

Magen Eissenstat, 405/371-5837

Statement of Tina Sherman, Senior Campaign Director for Maternal Justice at MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the National Center for Health Statistics study, released today, showing a dramatic rise in both maternal mortality rates and disparities in the United States in 2020:

“The 2020 maternal mortality data released today shows that our country’s maternal and infant public health emergency is getting appreciably worse. Both the rate of women dying during pregnancy or soon after giving birth, and the disparities in who is affected, are growing. In 2020, Black and Hispanic moms had significantly higher rates of maternal mortality than others. This is truly alarming, absolutely horrifying news.

“The new study finds that maternal mortality in our nation increased from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 23.8 in 2020. Moms of color accounted for the increase. Maternal deaths among Black women rose from 44 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 55 in 2020. One-third of the pregnant women and new mothers who died in 2020 were Black - much higher than our percentage of the population. Black women now face nearly a three times higher risk of maternal mortality than white women.

“America’s moms are appalled that our maternal mortality rate remains much higher than that of every other industrialized country and that it is getting worse, as are the disparities. Too many mothers are losing their lives during childbirth. We want Congress to pass the Momnibus Act this year. It includes funds to address social determinants of health, support diversification of the perinatal health workforce, provide grants to improve maternal mental health, strengthen federal maternal health programs, and support anti-bias trainings for health care professionals. Its enactment will save lives and improve the health of mothers and babies. It is long, long overdue.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.