Native American and Alaska Native people had the highest pregnancy-related mortality ratio among major demographic groups in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to this disparity, Native organizations, the CDC, and some states are working to boost tribal participation in state maternal mortality review committees to better track and address pregnancy-related deaths in their communities.
According to 2021 CDC data compiled from 46 maternal mortality review committees, 87 percent of maternal deaths in the United States were deemed preventable. Committees reported that most, if not all, deaths among Native American and Alaska Native people were considered preventable. Mental health conditions and infection were the leading underlying causes of pregnancy-related death among Native American and Alaska Native women as of 2021. The CDC found an estimated 68 percent of pregnancy-related deaths among Native American and Alaska Native people happened within a week of delivery to a year postpartum, with the majority occurring between 43 days and a year after birth.
A study analyzing data from 2016 to 2020 found that approximately 75 percent of Native American and Alaska Native pregnant people did not have access to care through the Indian Health Service around the time of giving birth. More than 90 percent of Native American and Alaska Native births occur outside of IHS facilities. For those delivering at IHS facilities, a 2020 Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General report found that 56 percent of labor and delivery patients received care that did not follow national clinical guidelines. Federal funding for maternal mortality review committees through the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act is scheduled to expire January 31 when the short-term spending bill ends.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.mankatofreepress.com/native-americans-are-dying-from-pregnancy-they-want-a-voice-to-stop-the-trend/article_7e21416e-5125-4cd1-87f3-df2303b72821.html