Over the past decade, the U.S. birth rate declined by roughly 20%. Maternal mortality rates, however, are rising at an alarmingly high rate, which means the number of babies being born is decreasing, while the number of women dying is increasing.
Despite having one of the most advanced health systems in the world, the U.S. currently has the highest pregnancy-related death rate among developed nations. Maternal deaths rose a staggering 40% in 2021 from just a year prior. While some of this is attributable to COVID, pre-pandemic maternal mortality levels were already steadily increasing.
