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Maternal Mortality In California - CWLC Policy Review (August 2024)

Maternal mortality poses a grave health crisis across the United States. While California reports lower rates than other states, critical policy gaps still threaten the safety of pregnant women throughout the state. This paper offers an in-depth examination of maternal mortality in California, along with proposals for enhancing the safety of pregnancy and childbirth in the state. Section I examines the issue of maternal mortality nationwide, highlighting the causes of maternal mortality as well as factors such as race, social determinants of health, and lack of reproductive health care access that increase one’s risk of maternal death and pregnancy complications. Section II discusses maternal mortality in California, looking at the history of the issue and evaluating recent efforts that have successfully halved the maternal mortality rate in recent years. The section also identifies persisting challenges within California, such as the emergence of maternity care deserts. Section III discusses recommendations both federally and in California to combat maternal mortality. The California-focused recommendations encompass improvements within hospitals, the expansion and diversification of the perinatal care network, and proposed enhancements to Medi-Cal coverage.

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