Thread by @emilyanneck

Finally taking a deep dive into the new @CDCgov National Vital Statistics Report on #maternalmortality in the US. This report represents the first national sample of maternal deaths gathered from a pregnancy status checkbox on death certificates. Thread.

@CDCgov According to the report, 658 women experienced maternal death in 2018, for a pregnancy-related mortality rate of 17.4 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This is an incomplete picture - and a gross underestimate - of the maternal mortality crisis in our country.

@CDCgov The main issues with the data come down to definitions - or who is included and who is not. While the CDC typically includes deaths through one year after the end of pregnancy, in this report they use the @WHO definition of maternal deaths - which cuts off at 42 days postpartum.

@CDCgov @WHO We know from other data sources that a growing proportion of maternal deaths are occurring beyond 42 days postpartum. If the 277 additional deaths identified on the pregnancy checkbox that occurred after 42 days were were included in the official figure, we'd be up to 935.

@CDCgov @WHO Beyond the issue of timing of maternal deaths, this data is also limited to deaths that are deemed pregnancy-related and excludes deaths that are pregnancy-associated. This means that deaths due to overdose, suicide, homicide, and other "incidental" causes are not included.

@CDCgov @WHO This is incredibly problematic as we know from state MMRC data that deaths due to overdose are the leading cause of maternal death in a growing number of states. If deaths related to these causes were included, the number of maternal deaths would go through the roof.

@CDCgov @WHO Finally, its important to note that this data excludes deaths to women over the age of 44. We know that risk of maternal death increases with age for women of all races and ethnicities. These women should be counted in our official maternal mortality statistics.

@CDCgov @WHO It is a great achievement that @CDCgov has published these figures - the first national report since 2007! But we must lift up the fact that these data are incomplete.

For an even deeper dive, check out this summary by @ByNinaMartin: propublica.org/article/the-ne…