U.S. childbirth deaths show statistical rise

As reported in The Washington Post, recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that women in the United States are dying from childbirth "at the highest rate in decades" ("Experts: U.S. Childbirth Deaths on Rise," August 24, 2007). The article quotes Dr. Jeffrey King, medical director of maternal-fetal medicine at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, who lead a recent New York state review of maternal deaths.

According to the article, the U.S. maternal mortality rate rose to 13 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004. In 2003, the rate was 12. This is the first time the maternal death rate rose above 10 since 1977, although experts are not certain the rise is statistically significant. While deaths from childbirth remain rare in the U.S. (fewer than 600 deaths each year), the article states that "Excessive bleeding is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death, and women with several previous C-sections are at especially high risk, according to a review of maternal deaths in New York." The article also states that obesity may be a factor (with heavier women more prone to diabetes and complications). Other factors in the rise might be the increasing rate of C-sections and the fact that more women are giving birth in their late 30s and 40s, when the risk of birth complications rise.