Our Response to COVID-19
Studies Show Maternal Mortality Rates Have Worsened, Disproportionately Affecting Black and American Indian and Alaska Native Individuals
New research from IHME and Mass General Brigham shows US maternal mortality trends have worsened from 1999 to 2019. Black women, American Indian and Alaska Native women (AIAN) are at increased risk, particularly in states where inequities had not previously been highlighted. The study was published on July 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and it is relevant to anyone and everyone who wants to see these trends improve for women in the US.
This data has been cited in recent coverage by New York Times Opinion, POLITICO, PBS Newshour, Reuters, and many others.
Already, there is policy impact because of this research: just a week after our study was published, US senators Booker, Warnock, Menendez, and Padilla reintroduced the Kira Johnson Act (included in the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2023) to improve maternal health outcomes for women of color in the US. All four announcements cited our study.
Here is a link to the study on JAMA's website, and the data set for all 50 states (click the download button).
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