Maternal Health

Understanding Disparities, Risks, and Community Action

What Is Maternal Health?

Maternal health refers to a woman’s health before pregnancy, during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (up to one year after birth). It includes both physical and mental health outcomes for the mother.

Maternal health is a critical public health issue and a key measure of healthcare quality and equity.
Learn more from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH):

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Why Maternal Health Matters

  • The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries, and rates have worsened over the past two decades.

  • Maternal mortality and morbidity reflect health system performance, access to care, and racial equity.

  • Many maternal deaths are preventable with timely, high-quality care.

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Key Maternal Health Concepts

  • Maternal Mortality
    Death during pregnancy or within one year after childbirth due to pregnancy-related causes.

  • Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM)
    Life-threatening complications during pregnancy or childbirth that do not result in death but signal serious health risks.

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National Maternal Health Disparities (United States)

Pregnancy-Related Mortality by Race

  • Black women in the U.S. are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to White women.

  • Approximately 87% of pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable with appropriate care.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)
https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-key-issues/

Why These Disparities Exist

Maternal health inequities are driven by a combination of medical, structural, and social factors:

  • Structural racism and bias in healthcare systems

  • Barriers to healthcare access (insurance coverage, transportation, distance to care)

  • Higher rates of chronic conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes)

  • Higher out-of-pocket maternity care costs for Black and Hispanic patients

Source: Axios analysis
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/03/maternity-costs-racial-ethnic-differences-study

Maternal Health Disparities in Texas & Dallas

State and Local Data

  • Texas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the U.S., with sharp increases in recent years.

  • https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-sepsis-maternal-mortality-analysis#:~:text=Texas%20has%20no%20plans%20to,national%20rate%20fell%20by%207.5%25.

  • Black women in Texas experience nearly double the maternal morbidity rates of White women.

  • In Dallas County, Black infants are nearly three times more likely to die before age one than White infants.

Sources:

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