Maternal mortality rates can vary significantly around the world. For example, in 2022, Estonia had a maternal mortality rate of zero per 100,000 live births, while Mexico reported a rate of 38 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, the regions with the highest number of maternal deaths are Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, with differences between countries and regions often reflecting inequalities in health care services and access. Most causes of maternal mortality are preventable and treatable with the most common causes including severe bleeding, infections, complications during delivery, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and unsafe abortion. Maternal mortality in the United States In 2022, there were a total of 817 maternal deaths in the United States. Women aged 25 to 39 years accounted for 578 of these deaths, however, rates of maternal mortality are much higher among women aged 40 years and older. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among women aged 40 years and older in the U.S. was 87 per 100,000 live births, compared to a rate of 21 among women aged 25 to 39 years. The rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. has risen in recent years among all age groups. Differences in maternal mortality in the U.S. by race/ethnicity Sadly, there are great disparities in maternal mortality in the United States among different races and ethnicities. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among non-Hispanic white women was about 19 per 100,000 live births, while non-Hispanic Black women died from maternal causes at a rate of almost 50 per 100,000 live births. Rates of maternal mortality have risen for white and Hispanic women in recent years, but Black women have by far seen the largest increase in maternal mortality. In 2022, around 253 Black women died from maternal causes in the United States.

In 2023, non-Hispanic Black women had the highest rates of maternal mortality among select races/ethnicities in the United States, with 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. The total maternal mortality rate in the U.S. at that time was 18.6 per 100,000 live births, a decrease from a rate of almost 33 in 2021. This statistic presents the maternal mortality rates in the United States from 2018 to 2023, by race and ethnicity.

In 2020, it was determined that 83.5 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States were preventable. That is, there was at least some chance of the maternal death being averted by one or more reasonable changes to patient, community, provider, facility, and/or systems factors. The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and maternal mortality is disproportionately high among non-Hispanic Black women. This statistic shows the percentage of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. that were preventable in 2020.

The number of maternal deaths and maternal mortality rates for selected causes, 2000 to most recent year.

In 2020, an overwhelmingly large proportion of pregnancy-associated deaths in the United States were among non-Hispanic Black women. At that time, nearly one in three pregnancy-related deaths were among non-Hispanic Black women. This statistic shows the proportion of pregnancy-associated deaths in ** U.S. states that were determined to be pregnancy-related in 2020, by race and ethnicity.

In Nigeria, Chad, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic, the maternal mortality rate was over 650 per 100,000 live births in 2023, respectively. Nigeria recorded the highest rate on the continent. That year, for every 100,000 children, 993 mothers died from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. The maternal death rate in Chad equaled 748. South Sudan and the Central African Republic followed with 692 deaths per 100,000 live births each.

UNICEF's country profile for Nigeria, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

IntroductionPoor birth outcomes are more prevalent for Black communities, but strong evidence shows that doula care can improve those outcomes. More evidence is needed to understand racial differences, discrimination, and equity in doula care.MethodsThe current study’s objective was to describe the experiences of Black doulas as well as the challenges and facilitators of providing doula care to communities of color in Georgia. From Fall 2020-Fall 2021, 20 surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with doulas as part of a community-based participatory study co-led by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia and academic researchers.ResultsDoula participants were diverse in age (5% under 25, 40% 25–35, 35% 36–45, and 20% 46+) and race/ethnicity (45% white, 50% Black, 5% Latinx). Most (70%) Black doulas reported that more than 75% of their clientele is Black, while most (78%) white doulas reported that less than 25% of their clientele is Black. Doulas noted the alarming Black maternal mortality rate and how mistreatment causes Black clients to lose trust in medical staff, leaving them in need of advocates. Black doulas were passionate about serving and advocating with Black clients. Participants also described how language and cultural barriers, particularly for Asian and Latinx people, reduce clients’ ability to self-advocate, increasing the need for doulas. Doulas also discussed the ways that race influences their connections with clients and their dissatisfaction with the lack of cultural humility or sensitivity training in standard doula training.ConclusionOur findings indicate that Black doulas provide essential and supportive services to Black birthing people, and those services are more urgently needed than ever following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Doula training must be improved to address the cultural needs of diverse clients. Increasing access to doula care for Asian and Latinx communities could also address language and cultural barriers that can negatively impact their maternal and child health outcomes.

In 2020 and 2021, the perinatal mortality rate in the United States was around two times higher for non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women. This graph shows the perinatal mortality rates in 2020 and 2021 in the United States, by race/ethnicity of the mother.

Maternity Services Monthly Statistics September 2020, experimental statistics This is a report on NHS-funded maternity services in England for September 2020, using data submitted to the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). This is the latest report from the new version of the data set, MSDSv2. The new data set is a significant change which adds support for key policy initiatives such as personalised care plans and continuity of carer, as well as increased flexibility through the introduction of new clinical coding. This is a major change, so data quality and coverage has reduced from the levels seen in previous publications. The data derived from SNOMED codes is still being developed. We have included data on smoking at booking and birth weight and others such as BMI and alcohol consumption will follow in later publications. SNOMED data is also included in some of the published Clinical Quality Improvement Metrics (CQIMs) where rules have been applied to ensure rates are calculated only where data quality is high enough. System suppliers are at different stages of developing their new solution and delivering that to trusts. In some cases this has limited the aspects of data that could be submitted to NHS Digital. Data by organisation on the number of women placed on a Continuity of Carer pathway by 29 weeks gestation can be found in the measures file available for download. This month, for the first time, filtered data looking at placement of black and Asian women, and women from the most deprived decile of areas, has been published alongside the main metric. Statistics on Continuity of Carer have been published to provide data submitters and users with insight into the quality and completeness of their data, with a view to improving this ahead of formal measurement in March 2021 and beyond. Due to variations in data quality and completeness, these statistics may not accurately reflect the true number of women placed on a Continuity of Carer pathway at this early stage of development. For the additional breakdowns, the focus on looking at placement of black and Asian women, and women from the most deprived decile of areas is in line with the Long Term Plan commitment that 75% of women from these groups should receive continuity of carer by 2024. A numerator and denominator will be shown for all providers, but only providers that score 5% or more will be included in the national-level rate, as a basic test for data quality. Data Quality assessment criteria will be developed further in coming months. These statistics are classified as experimental and should be used with caution. Experimental statistics are new official statistics undergoing evaluation. More information about experimental statistics can be found on the UK Statistics Authority website.

Infant mortality rates in the United States reveal significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, Black mothers faced the highest rate at nearly 11 deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double the rate for white mothers. This stark contrast persists despite overall improvements in healthcare and highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities. Birth rates and fertility trends While infant mortality rates vary, birth rates also differ across ethnicities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women had the highest fertility rate in 2022, with about 2,237.5 births per 1,000 women, far exceeding the national average of 1,656.5. In 2023, this group maintained the highest birth rate at 79 births per 1,000 women. Asian women, by contrast, had a much lower birth rate of around 50 per thousand women. These differences in fertility rates can impact overall population growth and demographic shifts within the United States. Hispanic birth trends and fertility decline The Hispanic population in the United States has experienced significant changes in birth trends over recent decades. In 2021, 885,916 babies were born to Hispanic mothers, with a birth rate of 14.1 per 1,000 of the Hispanic population. This represents a slight increase from the previous year. However, the fertility rate among Hispanic women has declined dramatically since 1990, dropping from 108 children per 1,000 women aged 15-44 to 63.4 in 2021. This decline aligns with broader trends of decreasing fertility rates in more industrialized nations.

Abstract

The 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (2021-22 CDHS) was implemented by the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH). Data collection took place from September 15, 2021, to February 15, 2022.

The primary objective of the 2021-22 CDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the survey collected information on fertility, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of women and children, maternal and child health, adult and childhood mortality, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, awareness and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other health-related issues such as smoking.

The information collected through the 2021-22 CDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in evaluating and designing programs and strategies for improving the health of Cambodia’s population. The survey also provides data on indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Cambodia.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15 to 49

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49, all men age 15-49, and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Four questionnaires were used in the 2021-22 CDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Cambodia. In addition, a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers.

Cleaning operations

The processing of the 2021-22 CDHS data began as soon as the fieldwork started. When data collection was completed in each cluster, the electronic data files were transferred via the IFSS to the NIS central office in Phnom Penh. The data files were registered and checked for inconsistencies, incompleteness, and outliers. Errors and inconsistencies were communicated to the field teams for review and correction. Secondary editing, done by NIS data processors, was carried out in the central office and included resolving inconsistencies and coding open-ended questions. The paper Biomarker Questionnaires were collected by field coordinators and then compared with the electronic data files to assess whether any inconsistencies arose during data entry. Data processing and editing were carried out using the CSPro software package. The concurrent data collection and processing offered an advantage because it maximized the likelihood of the data being error-free. Timely generation of field check tables allowed for effective monitoring. The secondary editing of the data was completed in March 2022.

Response rate

A total of 21,270 households were selected for the CDHS sample, of which 20,967 were found to be occupied. Of the occupied households, 20,806 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99%. In the interviewed households, 19,845 women age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 19,496 women, yielding a response rate of 98%. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 9,079 men age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews and 8,825 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 97%.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: (1) nonsampling errors and (2) sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are errors that were made during data collection and data processing such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions by either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to eliminate completely and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2021-22 CDHS is only one of many possible samples that could have been selected from the same population, using exactly the same design. Each of those samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.

A sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95% of all possible samples of identical size and design.

If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2021-22 CDHS sample was the result of a multistage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulas. The computer software used to calculate sampling errors for the 2021-22 CDHS was an SAS program. This program used the Taylor linearization method for estimate variances for survey estimates that are means or proportions. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.

A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in APPENDIX B of the survey report.

Data appraisal

Data Quality Tables

• Household age distribution
• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women
• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed men
• Age displacement at age 14/15
• Age displacement at age 49/50
• Pregnancy outcomes by years preceding the survey
• Completeness of reporting
• Height and weight data completeness and quality for children
• Height measurements from random subsample of measured children
• Interference in height and weight measurements of children
• Interference in height and weight measurements of women
• Heaping in anthropometric measurements for children (digit preference)
• Observation of handwashing facility
• School attendance by single-year age
• Vaccination cards photographed
• Number of enumeration areas completed by month and province
• Sibship size and sex ratio of siblings
• Pregnancy-related mortality trends
• Pregnancy-related mortality

See details of the data quality tables in Appendix C of the final report.

In 2022, there were about 4.15 million Black families in the United States with a single mother. This is an increase from 1990 levels, when there were about 3.4 million Black families with a single mother.

Single parenthood

The typical family is comprised of two parents and at least one child. However, that is not the case in every single situation. A single parent is someone who has a child but no spouse or partner. Single parenthood occurs for different reasons, including divorce, death, abandonment, or single-person adoption. Historically, single parenthood was common due to mortality rates due to war, diseases, and maternal mortality. However, divorce was not as common back then, depending on the culture.

Single parent wellbeing

In countries where social welfare programs are not strong, single parents tend to suffer more financially, emotionally, and mentally. In the United States, most single parents are mothers. The struggles that single parents face are greater than those in two parent households. The number of families with a single mother in the United States has increased since 1990, but the poverty rate of black families with a single mother has significantly decreased since that same year. In comparison, the poverty rate of Asian families with a single mother, and the percentage of white, non-Hispanic families with a single mother who live below the poverty level in the United States have both been fluctuating since 2002.

This is a publication on maternity activity in English NHS hospitals. This report examines data relating to delivery and birth episodes in 2022-23, and the booking appointments for these deliveries. This annual publication covers the financial year ending March 2023. Data is included from both the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data warehouse and the Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS). HES contains records of all admissions, appointments and attendances for patients admitted to NHS hospitals in England. The HES data used in this publication are called 'delivery episodes'. The MSDS collects records of each stage of the maternity service care pathway in NHS-funded maternity services, and includes information not recorded in HES. The MSDS is a maturing, national-level dataset. In April 2019 the MSDS transitioned to a new version of the dataset. This version, MSDS v2.0, is an update that introduced a new structure and content - including clinical terminology, in order to meet current clinical practice and incorporate new requirements. It is designed to meet requirements that resulted from the National Maternity Review, which led to the publication of the Better Births report in February 2016. This is the fourth publication of data from MSDS v2.0 and data from 2019-20 onwards is not directly comparable to data from previous years. This publication shows the number of HES delivery episodes during the period, with a number of breakdowns including by method of onset of labour, delivery method and place of delivery. It also shows the number of MSDS deliveries recorded during the period, with breakdowns including the baby's first feed type, birthweight, place of birth, and breastfeeding activity; and the mothers' ethnicity and age at booking. There is also data available in a separate file on breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks. The count of Total Babies includes both live and still births, and previous changes to how Total Babies and Total Deliveries were calculated means that comparisons between 2019-20 MSDS data and later years should be made with care. Information on how all measures are constructed can be found in the HES Metadata and MSDS Metadata files provided below. In this publication we have also included an interactive Power BI dashboard to enable users to explore key NHS Maternity Statistics measures. The purpose of this publication is to inform and support strategic and policy-led processes for the benefit of patient care. This report will also be of interest to researchers, journalists and members of the public interested in NHS hospital activity in England. Any feedback on this publication or dashboard can be provided to enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk, under the subject “NHS Maternity Statistics”.

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 out of every 1,000 live births. This is a significant decrease from 1960, when infant mortality was at around 26 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. What is infant mortality? The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of babies under the age of one per 1,000 live births. There are many causes for infant mortality, which include birth defects, low birth weight, pregnancy complications, and sudden infant death syndrome. In order to decrease the high rates of infant mortality, there needs to be an increase in education and medicine so babies and mothers can receive the proper treatment needed. Maternal mortality is also related to infant mortality. If mothers can attend more prenatal visits and have more access to healthcare facilities, maternal mortality can decrease, and babies have a better chance of surviving in their first year. Worldwide infant mortality rates Infant mortality rates vary worldwide; however, some areas are more affected than others. Afghanistan suffered from the highest infant mortality rate in 2024, and the following 19 countries all came from Africa, with the exception of Pakistan. On the other hand, Slovenia had the lowest infant mortality rate that year. High infant mortality rates can be attributed to lack of sanitation, technological advancements, and proper natal care. In the United States, Massachusetts had the lowest infant mortality rate, while Mississippi had the highest in 2022. Overall, the number of neonatal and post neonatal deaths in the United States has been steadily decreasing since 1995.

In 2023, the state of Mississippi had the highest infant mortality rate in the United States, with around 8.94 deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is the death of an infant before the age of one. The countries with the lowest infant mortality rates worldwide are Slovenia, Singapore, and Iceland. The countries with the highest infant mortality rates include Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic. Infant mortality in the United States The infant mortality rate in the United States has decreased over the past few decades, reaching a low of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022. The most common causes of infant death in the United States are congenital malformations, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. In 2023, congenital malformations accounted for around 111 infant deaths per 100,000 live births.

The number of abortion-related deaths in the U.S. has decreased dramatically since 1973. In 1973, the number of deaths related to abortions was 47. In 2021, the number of reported deaths related to abortions had decreased to just five. Abortion is the act of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby. Abortions in the U.S. Abortions can be performed in a surgical setting or a medical setting (the pill). The number of legal abortions reported in the U.S. has generally declined yearly since 1990. The most frequently performed kind of abortion in the U.S. in 2022 were medical abortions. Abortion and the legality and morality of the procedure has been a publicly debated topic in the United States for many years. Public opinions on abortion Opinions on abortion in the United States can be divided into two campaigns. Pro-choice is the belief that women have the right to decide when they want to become pregnant and if they want to terminate the pregnancy through an abortion. Pro-life, is the belief that women should not be able to choose to have an abortion. As of 2023, around 52 percent of the U.S. population was pro-choice, while 44 percent considered themselves pro-life. However, these shares have fluctuated over the past couple decades, with a majority of people saying they were pro-life as recently as 2019.