LOCALIZE IT: Study details US states, regions with high rates of maternal deaths

Maternal Mortality (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality among wealthy nations.

A new state-by-state study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association details which racial or ethnic communities saw the highest increases in maternal mortality between 1999 and 2019, as well as states and regions of the U.S. where the rates are high.

It's yet another sign of health disparities in the U.S. — especially when it comes to race and ethnicity.

And while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's preliminary numbers for 2022 showed 733 maternal deaths compared to more than 1,200 in 2021, it's still among the highest rate in decades.

Here are some ideas for localizing the story:

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READ AP’S LATEST

US maternal deaths more than doubled over two decades in unequal proportions for race and geography

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FIND YOUR STATE'S DATA

The study published Monday includes state-by-state data. Click the link and then click “download” in the right-hand corner for an Excel file.

Most states provide information on vital statistics on their state health department websites. The following states were specifically listed in the JAMA study regarding increases in mortality rates from decade to decade for the following race or ethnicity categories:

— AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE:

Florida

Illinois

Kansas

Rhode Island

Wisconsin

— HISPANIC:

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Minnesota

Tennessee

— BLACK:

Arkansas

Georgia

Louisiana

New Jersey

Texas

— ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER:

Georgia

Illinois

Kansas

Michigan

Missouri

— WHITE:

Georgia

Indiana

Louisiana

Missouri

Tennessee

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PUBLISH THIS CONTEXT

A new study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at maternal deaths between 1999 and 2019 — but not the pandemic spike — for every state and five racial and ethnic groups.

The study found Black mothers died at the nation’s highest rates, while the largest increases in deaths were found in American Indian and Native Alaskan mothers. And some states — and racial or ethnic groups within them – fared worse than others.

Among wealthy nations, the U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality, which is defined as a death during pregnancy or up to a year afterward. Common causes include excessive bleeding, infection, heart disease, suicide and drug overdose.

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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS

Speak with an OB/GYN, maternal health specialist, a public health researcher or a birth equity network or collaborative about the underlying reasons in your state for high rates of maternal mortality.

Reach out to the state or local health department, an Indian Health Service office and/or a health clinic that serves Hispanic mothers and families to find out what measures are being taken to solve the maternal mortality crisis in your state or area.

Find mothers who experienced complications during pregnancy, childbirth or up to a year past childbirth, and talk to them about their experiences with their health care provider, what signs or symptoms they noticed, how their provider treated the issue and whether there are any lingering effects. Interviews should be done through a trauma-informed lens.

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READ MORE FROM AP

— Why do so many women die in pregnancy? One reason: Doctors don’t take them seriously

— Seeking to curb racial bias in medicine, Doris Duke Fund awards $10 million to health groups

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Localize It is an occasional feature produced by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to Katie Oyan at koyan@ap.org.