By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Black women in the United States continued to face the highest maternal mortality rates, dying at a rate more than three times higher than white women, according to a newly released report from the National Center for Health Statistics.
The report, published on February 6, 2025, found that 669 women died from maternal causes in 2023, down from 817 in 2022. The overall maternal mortality rate declined from 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 18.6 in 2023. However, for Black women, the rate remained disproportionately high at 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births—far exceeding the rates for white (14.5), Hispanic (12.4), and Asian (10.7) women.
Despite national efforts to address maternal health disparities, the mortality rate for Black women showed little change from the previous year, when it stood at 49.5. The data highlight persistent systemic inequities in healthcare access, quality of care, and medical intervention for Black mothers, who continue to experience higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and a greater likelihood of receiving inadequate medical attention.
Age remains a major risk factor, with maternal mortality rates significantly higher among women 40 and older. In 2023, the mortality rate for this age group was 59.8 deaths per 100,000 live births—nearly five times the rate for women under 25, which was 12.5. Among Black women aged 40 and older, the crisis is even more severe, with a mortality rate of 132.9 per 100,000 live births—more than twice the rate for white women in the same age category (56.6). For Black women between the ages of 25 and 39, the rate was 53.6, compared to 13.8 for White women.
While the report indicates a statistically significant decline in maternal mortality rates for White and Hispanic women, no such progress was observed for Black women. Researchers and public health advocates continue to point to long-standing racial disparities in maternal healthcare, calling for stronger policy measures to expand access to quality prenatal and postpartum care, increased funding for maternal health initiatives, and more comprehensive training for medical professionals to address implicit bias in treatment.
The 2023 maternal mortality statistics represent the most recent data available for researchers and were compiled from the National Vital Statistics System. Click here to view the full report.
