Maternal Mortality: Missouri's Birth Story

Missouri’s maternal mortality rate — currently a staggering 40.7 deaths per 100,000 live births, with a state rank of 44th in the nation — represents a call to action for stakeholders to improve maternal health outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also estimates that for every one maternal death, there are 70 more near misses that contribute to severe maternal morbidity. In particular, the fourth trimester (from birth through one year postpartum), presents a significant opportunity to improve care transitions, treatment and extension of insurance coverage.

This issue of Trajectories highlights three actions within the span of control for providers to improve maternal health outcomes — avoiding the Three Delays, implementing evidence-based patient safety bundles and examining the effect of four different bias types. Also found throughout this publication are stories of action and hope — people and organizations working to prevent and mitigate severe maternal morbidity and mortality in Missouri.

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Trajectories is a quarterly publication of MHA focusing on progress in quality and population health efforts.