Maternal Death Rates in The 20th Century
The death rate for women giving birth plummeted in the 20th century.
The historical level of maternal deaths is probably around 1 in 100 births. Mortality rates reached very high levels in maternity institutions in the 1800s, sometimes climbing to 40 percent of birthgiving women (see Historical mortality rates of puerperal fever). At the beginning of the 1900s, maternal death rates were around 1 in 100 for live births. The number in 2005 in the United States was 11 in 100,000, a decline by two orders of magnitude, although that figure has begun to rise in recent years, having nearly tripled over the decade up to 2010 in California. A maternal mortality rate for the U.S. of 24 per 100,000 was reported for 2008. This change might not actually reflect an increase, due to a change in reporting methods by the CDC in 1999.
The decline in maternal deaths has been due largely to improved asepsis, fluid management and blood transfusion, and better prenatal care. Recommendations for reducing maternal mortality include access to health care, access to family planning services, and emergency obstetric care, funding and intrapartum care. Reduction in unnecessary obstetric surgery has also been suggested.
Read more about this topic: Maternal Death
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