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Tuesday, Jul. 2, 2024

Did Idaho stop investigating maternal deaths?

Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch
yes

Idaho stopped investigating pregnancy-related deaths after its Legislature allowed a law to expire, but is re-creating its Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

The committee, created in 2019, analyzed the deaths and made recommendations. It ceased operation July 1, 2023, when the law creating it expired.

That made Idaho the only state without a review committee, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute.

The committee’s latest report said Idaho’s maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births was 40.1 in 2021, up from 18.7 in 2018.

From 2018 to 2022, Idaho’s rate was 20, below the national average of 23.2; Wisconsin’s was 13.2.

Idaho legislation signed in March created a new committee effective July 1. The state began recruiting members June 28.

The Idaho claim was made June 29 by Democrat Kristin Lyerly. She is running for the northeast Wisconsin seat vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, who resigned in April.

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