Maternal Mortality: A Global and National Crisis
This past week the World Health Organization (WHO) dropped some truly devastating findings: in 2020, an estimated 287,000 women worldwide died due to pregnancy or childbirth complications. That’s one death every two minutes. Every two minutes. Let that sink in.
The Leading Causes of Maternal Deaths
According to WHO’s new study in The Lancet Global Health, the biggest killers were hemorrhage (about 80,000 deaths) and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia (50,000 deaths). But that’s not all—infectious and chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, anemia, and diabetes also played a role in these preventable deaths.
Here’s the worst part: the world is not on track to meet the United Nations’ goal of reducing maternal deaths to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. Not even close actually.
In 2020, that number was a staggering 223 per 100,000.
We are failing women, and it’s beyond frustrating.
Access to Care and Global Policy Setbacks
So many of these deaths could have been prevented with basic access to healthcare. But instead, millions of pregnant people are left without life-saving treatments and care. And while the WHO’s analysis calls for more research, we already know the answers: people need access to quality, affordable, and comprehensive maternal health care. Period.
And yet, the U.S. government has repeatedly slashed funding for global maternal health programs. USAID, which helped fund this study, took a huge hit under the Trump administration, gutting key global health initiatives. And let’s not forget the reinstatement of the "Global Gag Rule," blocking U.S. funding to organizations that so much as mention abortion. Meanwhile, the WHO is clear: abortion is essential health care. And yet, unsafe abortion procedures were responsible for 8% of maternal deaths worldwide between 2009 and 2020.
The U.S. Is Failing Its Own, Too
And if you think the U.S. is immune to this crisis, think again. Our maternal mortality rates are disgraceful, especially in states that have banned abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. The most vulnerable—pregnant people living in poverty—are hit the hardest.
Take Tennessee, where maternal death rates are among the worst in the country. Between 2020 and 2022, pregnant people on Medicaid were three times more likely to die than those using the state’s public insurance program, TennCare. And in 2022, a staggering 76% of maternal deaths in Tennessee were deemed preventable.
Some red states are expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage in response, but that progress is at risk. The GOP-controlled Congress is pushing for Medicaid cuts that could leave pregnant people even more vulnerable.
The Fight for Reproductive Rights and Maternal Health
People are done staying quiet about this. On International Women’s Day, protests erupted across the US, with activists calling out the relentless attacks on reproductive rights. All in a goal to make it clear: enough is enough.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The WHO’s latest findings only confirm what reproductive rights advocates have been screaming from the rooftops for years: maternal mortality is a crisis we can fix. It takes real investment in maternal health care, accurate data collection, and policy changes that expand access to care—not gut it.
For more information on this topic check out the following journal article:
Global and regional causes of maternal deaths 2009–20: a WHO systematic analysis
