I have been reading a lot lately about women's issues and one particular item keeps popping up in my feed regularly (I mean, like daily) and that is the rise in maternal death rates in the United States. We are a rich nation with immeasurable resources and funds, yet this issue is occurring without any end in sight.
My original theory is that women have lost value in our society and because of this, women's health is unimportant. I know, I am such a feminist. I know that my thinking is skewed on this topic, but I think there may be a kernel of truth in that theory. I have read so many articles and scientific papers about this topic and one thing is very clear. We live in a male dominated society that has little to no respect or appreciation for women and their contributions to our society.
The scientific community is a male dominated and fully insulated community. Women do work and make contributions in science, but still, as in all of our history, most of their contributions are stolen and attributed to men. So, when I read scientific articles and papers, I look for the women listed as contributors; then I peruse the information through my "feminist" glasses.
We should not be having women dying from childbirth anymore, period, but since the turn of the century, this troubling trend has risen in the United States: an increase in maternal mortality rates, which seems to contrast with trends in other high-income countries. This is a complex and multifaceted issue, and while many theories abound, there remains no definitive answer as to why the United States is falling behind its peers.
So let's take a look at this important issue, but let's first understand what we mean by 'maternal mortality.' This term refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, at delivery, or within 42 days of childbirth or termination of pregnancy. It's a crucial indicator of both women's health and healthcare quality across nations.
Currently, the U.S. maternal mortality rate is the highest of any developed nation, and alarmingly, it's on the rise. In stark contrast, other countries, particularly those in Europe, have seen their maternal death rates steadily decline. So why is this happening, and what does it mean for society as a whole?
Theories of why maternal death rates are increasing in the US
- First, the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are higher in the US than in other developed countries. These conditions can complicate pregnancy and childbirth, leading to an increased risk of death.
- Second, racial and socio-economic disparities are significantly contributing to this upward trend. Women of color, especially African-American women, are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women. This points to a broader issue of social determinants of health, including access to quality healthcare, education, housing, and food security.
- Third, the U.S. health care system itself may play a role. Despite spending more on healthcare per capita than any other country, the U.S. lacks a comprehensive, universal healthcare system, potentially leaving some pregnant women without access to necessary prenatal and postnatal care.
Efforts are currently underway to curb this troubling trend. For example, some states have established Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), interdisciplinary groups of experts who review maternal deaths to identify systemic issues and suggest actionable improvements.
Federal programs, like the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, are working to develop nationwide safety initiatives to improve maternal care. However, these measures need to be scaled up and receive continuous funding and political support to make a significant impact, and in a time when funding for women's health and women's issues is being defunded by our politicians, that is unlikely.
Increasing maternal deaths not only means the loss of mothers but also signifies broader societal implications. These deaths reverberate through families and communities, contributing to a cycle of poverty and diminished health outcomes, especially among minority groups. More fundamentally, these deaths are often preventable, reflecting gaps in our healthcare system that we must address.
Why should we care about this? Besides the inherent value of human life and health, maternal mortality rates serve as a powerful lens through which we can examine larger societal issues. They reveal underlying disparities in our health care systems and the deep-rooted inequities in our society.
Ultimately, we must all engage in this crucial conversation. It's not just about improving maternity care, but also about addressing broader systemic issues, from socio-economic disparities to improving our healthcare system. The health of our mothers and the strength of our families depend on it.
On a side note, the death of every woman in childbirth leaves a baby without a mother and without someone to take care of its needs. For many of these babies, that means depending on our social systems to provide essential needs for them. This is another hot topic in our political arena today.
I, for one, do not see any chance that we will be able to turn this around anytime soon. Unless we as a society, finally agree that women are fundamentally important to our society and contribute as much if not more than men, we will not see anything change.
I am getting off my "soap box" now. Thank you.
This is NOT a new issue. Check out some of these references and you will see that they go back pretty far, and when they were published it was not new then. Why is that? What prevents us as a society from correcting this trend?
References:
- Reducing US Maternal Mortality as a Human Right
- Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them
- Maternal Mortality: A Bigger Problem than You May Think
- Maternal Mortality
- What are examples and causes of maternal morbidity and mortality?
- The simple intervention that may keep Black moms healthier
- U.S. maternal deaths keep rising. Here's who is most at risk
