The U.S. maternal mortality rate increased to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 from 23.8 in 2020, according to data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The maternal mortality rate for Black women was nearly three times the rate for white women. Mortality rates increased with maternal age, with the rate for women aged 40 and over nearly seven times higher than the rate for women under 25.

AHA is committed to safeguarding mothers and babies by eliminating maternal mortality and reducing maternal morbidity. For more on members’ efforts, including case studies, podcasts, webinars and other resources, visit AHA’s Better Health for Mothers and Babies webpage.

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The Department of Health and Human Services Oct. 9 announced the launch of its Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit Program, which, through partnership with the…
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 A study by the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center found that between 2007 and 2023, the percentage of midwife-attended births rose in…
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As part of the AHA’s Opportunities for Innovations in Rural Maternal Care initiative, a recent Commonwealth Fund blog discusses strategies hospitals can use to…
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In part three of the AHA’s special Advancing Health podcast series, hear how hospitals are using technology-enabled care and strong regional partnerships to…
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The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded approximately $7 million in grants to seven recipients in the fiscal year 2026 cohort of its Rural…
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In a new blog by Aisha Syeda, senior program manager at AHA, learn how you can participate in the first Better Health for Mothers and Babies Awareness Week,…