Insights into the U.S. maternal mortality crisis: An international comparison (Commonwealth Fund, 4 June 2024)

Summary

The United States continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, despite a decline since the Covid-19 pandemic. And within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women. Most of these deaths — over 80% — are likely preventable.

With policies and systems in place to support women during the perinatal period, several high-income countries report virtually no maternal deaths. As policymakers and health care delivery system leaders in the U.S. seek ways to end the nation’s maternal mortality crisis, these countries may offer viable solutions.

This brief updates an earlier Commonwealth Fund study of differences in maternal mortality, maternal care workforce composition, and access to postpartum care and social protections between the U.S. and other high-income countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In this edition, we have also included data on Chile, Japan, and Korea — all high-income countries with universal healthcare systems.