Recent reports show both a reduction in in-hospital delivery-related maternal death rates and an increase in overall maternal mortality in the United States. Briefly, these reports may seem to contradict each other; however, each report looks at different populations.
Trends in Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 2008 to 2021 published June 22, 2023, by Dorothy Fink et. al. looks at more than 11.6 million delivery-related hospitalizations whereas Trends in State-Level Maternal Mortality by Racial and Ethnic Group in the United States published July 3, 2023, by Laura Fleszar et. al. draws from vital registration and census data for births between 1999 and 2019.
It should be noted that while Trends in Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 2008 to 2021 reports a decrease in maternal mortality during in-hospital deliveries it also reports an increase of severe maternal morbidity, specifically for racial and ethnic minorities. Both studies contribute important information to the ongoing study of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States.