Trends in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

The United States has been experiencing increasing maternal mortality and approximately half of pregnancy-related deaths are due to cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, significant disparities exist in maternal mortality seen in racial/ethnic minority groups and non-Hispanic White women. Disproportionate rates of medical comorbidities, health education, and limited access to high-quality prenatal care contribute to disparities seen in maternal health and subsequently birth outcomes in newborns. Maternal health is a public health priority. With increasing number of cardiovascular conditions and adverse pregnancy outcomes, multidisciplinary teams taking care of pregnant individuals need to be familiar with normal physiology of pregnancy, modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors, existing disparities, and how maternal health is affected by contemporary issues such as COVID-19 pandemic and changes in abortion laws.