US Maternal Mortality Rate Jumped 40 Percent Amid Pandemic

US Maternal Mortality Rate Jumped 40 Percent Amid Pandemic
A doctor examines an eight-month pregnant woman at a health center in Denver on March 15, 2017. Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images
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The maternal death rate across the United States rose significantly in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report, published on March 15, shows maternal mortality rates—which are based on the number of deaths per 100,000 live births—surged by nearly 40 percent during 2021 compared to a year prior.

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