Let's talk Maternity Care Stats in the US
May 18, 2021
The maternity healthcare system in the United States is in crisis.
Not only is there a shortage of providers, but we consistently rank near the bottom of the list of "developed" nations in maternal and fetal mortality (death) and morbidity (injury).
"Compared with 10 other high-income nations (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom), the U.S. has the highest: maternal mortality (26.4/100,000 live births, versus mean 8.4 for these nations), neonatal mortality (4/1,000 live births, mean 2.6), infant mortality 5.8/1,000 live (births, mean 3.6) and cesarean rate (33% of live births, mean 25%), and second highest low birth weight rate (8.1% of live births, mean 6.6%)."
Yeah, I know. That's A LOT of statistics. Specifically, it's a lot of statistics that indicate the ways in which the United States is failing to provide essential care to birthing parents and babies.
The data show that the maternal mortality rate in the United States is more than triple that of other industrialized nations.
The US Maternity Care System has a long way to go before it's providing birthing parents and babies with the care that they need. And let me be clear: there is no question of what needs to change, the only questions are whether those in positions of political power will support that change.
In countries with the best pregnancy outcomes and lowest intervention rates, midwives are the primary maternity care providers.
Quote and statistics taken from "Maternity Care in the United States: We Can – and Must – Do Better" published in February of 2020 by the National Partnership for Women & Families. https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/health-care/maternity-care-in-the-united.pdf
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