DHSS releases report on pregnancy-related deaths in Mo.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services released a report on maternal mortality in the state.

“A Multi Year Look at Maternal Mortality in Missouri: 2017-2019 Annual Report” was released on behalf of the state’s pregnancy-associated mortality review board.

You can click here for the full report.

It includes data such as the timing and leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths, as well as factors that contributed to the deaths, such as mental health conditions and substance use disorder.

According to DHSS, highlights from the report include:

Mental health conditions were the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths, followed by cardiovascular disease
All pregnancy-related deaths due to mental health conditions were determined to be preventable
Black women living in Missouri are three times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than white women
Women on Medicaid in the state of Missouri are eight times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than those with private insurance

They say the PAMR board also found that pregnancy-related mortality ratio in Missouri was 25.2 deaths per 100,000 live births from 2017 to 2019 and that 75 percent of these deaths were determined to be preventable.

The board continues to review cases and is nearly finished reviewing 2020 deaths and will begin reviewing 2021 deaths soon after. These reports will be made available once all cases have been reviewed.