Trends in Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 2008 to 2021

Maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) are important focus areas in public health. Further understanding trends, health disparities, and risk factors for these adverse outcomes is vital to public health decision-making.

To describe trends and risk factors for delivery-related maternal deaths and SMM in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study using data from a large, geographically diverse, all-payer hospital administrative database. Hospital discharges from January 2008 to December 2021 with any Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, or International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification delivery diagnosis or procedure code were included. Data analysis took place from February 2021 to March 2023. Exposures: Year, quarter (Q), age, race and ethnicity, delivery method. Main Outcomes and Measures: Maternal mortality, SMM during delivery-related hospitalization.