U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate Jumps, Especially Among Black Women

The U.S. maternal mortality rate — already high compared to other wealthy countries — has increased, with Black women faring far worse than their White peers, according to new data.

In 2020, 861 women died of maternal causes in the U.S., up from 754 in 2019, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That puts the 2020 maternal mortality rate at 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, a figure that is more than double the rate in countries including the U.K., Canada or France.

At 55.3 deaths for every 100,000 live births, the maternal mortality rate among ...