Maternal Health

The U.S. has the highest rate of deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth in the developed world. Half of the deaths are preventable, victimizing women from a variety of races, backgrounds, educations and income levels.  Here are some of their stories.  

Propublica Lost Mothers Series: The Last Person You’d Expect to Die in Childbirth

The U.S. has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world, and 60 percent are preventable. The death of Lauren Bloomstein, a neonatal nurse, in the hospital where she worked illustrates a profound disparity: The health care system focuses on babies but often ignores their mothers.

Propublica Lost Mothers Series: Severe Complications for Women During Childbirth Are Skyrocketing — and Could Often Be Prevented

The rate of life-threatening complications for new mothers in the U.S. has more than doubled in two decades due to pre-existing conditions, medical errors and unequal access to care.

To read more about the Maternal Health Crisis in the United States, follow the Lost Mothers Series here.