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FACT BRIEF

Does Oklahoma’s maternal mortality rate exceed the national rate?

By Sue Bin Park
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YES

Oklahoma’s maternal mortality rate from 2018 to 2022 was 30 deaths per 100,000 live births — higher than the national rate of 23 per 100,000 births.

The U.S. is considered an outlier among wealthy nations; the average maternal mortality rate across high-income countries was 12 deaths per 100,000 births in 2020. Racial disparities are also apparent, with Black mothers across America experiencing 51 maternal deaths per 100,000 births from 2018 to 2022.

Suggested causes include increasing average maternal age, high rates of chronic illness, and healthcare inaccessibility.

The World Health Organization defines maternal death as a death while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, caused or influenced by the pregnancy or its management. The top causes in the U.S. are mental health conditions, heart disease, and hemorrhage.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
CDC Maternal deaths and mortality rates by state, 2018-2022
CDC Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2022
Yale Medicine Maternal Mortality Is on the Rise: 8 Things To Know
CDC Four in 5 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable
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Oklahoma Watch
Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation that produces in-depth and investigative journalism as a public service for the benefit of all Oklahomans. Through investigative, fact-driven journalism, we dig deep and examine significant issues facing our state. Our work engages all Oklahomans, amplifies the discussion of important issues and leads to change. We help develop the journalists and journalism of the future.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.