Maternal deaths in the United States in 2021 reached their highest since 1965.
The maternal death rate in 2021 shot up drastically from 2020. It saw a 40% increase, the Wall Street Journal reported. It was nearly double that of 2018.
SEE IT: CHRIS MURPHY CALLS 'UNIVERSAL FREE CHILDBIRTH' A 'REALLY WORTHWHILE IDEA'
In 2021, 1,205 women died in or shortly after childbirth, compared with 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019.
The newest total makes the U.S. maternal mortality rate, at 33 deaths per 100,000 live births, the highest in high-income countries.
In comparison, the maternal mortality rate in the United Kingdom is less than one-third of what it is in the U.S., assuming rates from 2020 remained steady in 2021. Norway has the lowest maternal mortality rate at 1.7 per 100,000 live births.
According to the outlet, cardiovascular problems, healthcare disparities, the COVID-19 pandemic, and medical shortages played a part in the increase.
The main factor that differentiates the U.S. is obesity; around 42% of U.S. adults are considered obese, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The agency cited a study that found an increase in pregnant women with chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic heart disease, which are all tied to obesity. Cardiovascular problems are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths.
A racial gap also exists in maternal mortality, with black women being 2.6 times more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth. Likewise, black women suffer from a higher rate of obesity. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, from 2015-2018, black women were 2.3 times more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white women and 50% more likely to be obese. Roughly 4 in 5 black women in the U.S. are overweight or obese.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Others believe that racism and a lack of access to proper medical care is the cause of the imbalance.
The CDC said over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable and that work on heart health should begin long before pregnancy.