The Crisis of Preventable Deaths: Maternal Mortality in the United States.

Becoming a mother should be a joyful time. But for too many women in the United States, the journey of pregnancy and childbirth ends in tragedy.

Shocking new data reveals maternal mortality rates are rising across the US. Over 1,200 women died of pregnancy-related causes in 2021 - double the number in 2019. And the crisis is unequal. Black mothers face risks up to triple that of white women.

Behind each statistic was a life cut devastatingly short. A mother never returning home to her family. Another victim of a broken system that dismisses women – especially marginalized women – at their most vulnerable.

The leading killers vary, from mental health issues to cardiac conditions. But over 80% of these maternal deaths were preventable. Simple policy changes could spare hundreds of families from grief. Proper postpartum care alone could have saved the 53% of women who died up to a year after giving birth.

For black mothers, America has failed them the most. Root causes like systemic racism, lack of affordable healthcare, and social inequality drive their disproportionate tragedy. Yet their cries for help go unheard. Will America listen before more die preventable deaths?

We owe mothers-to-be a basic promise: To protect them during pregnancy and beyond. No loss of life is acceptable when solutions are at hand. No woman should fear if she or her baby will survive.

The numbers today tell a despairing story. But data is power. The more we know, the better we can pinpoint where change is needed. Now we must channel facts into action.

Because behind the statistics are people. Irreplaceable people. The battle to save mothers starts with valuing their lives. And demanding policies, resources, and care that cherishes their worth. The stakes are too high to accept the status quo.

The crisis is real. But hope lies ahead if we face it together. By raising voices as one, we can build a future where no mother fears her fate. A world finally ready to save very precious life.