The rate of Indigenous women that died during or shortly after pregnancy more than doubled in recent decades, according to a new study.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that maternal mortality rates for Native American and Alaska Native women increased by nearly 110% between 1999 and 2019. That was the largest increase among all racial groups.
Deaths among Indigenous women were especially high across the Great Plains. Northern mountain states like Montana were also found to have high maternal death rates among all races.
Researchers say it’s hard to determine what drove the spike in deaths among Native American pregnant women because death records across the country can vary widely.
Causes of maternal mortality include suicide, substance abuse, excessive bleeding, and infection among many other conditions.
Researchers say racial disparities among pregnant women can in part be attributed to systemic and interpersonal racism.
