How California is helping new mothers to survive

Becoming a mother is a dream most women want to fulfill before their life ends. California was a leader in low maternal mortality rate in the country, with 55 percent from 2006-2013.
However, the pandemic saw overall maternal death rates skyrocket to 68.8 percent which was higher in 2021 than in 2019 — from 12.8 deaths to 21.6 per 100,000 live births, per the state data dashboard.
Statewide, the years between 2019 and 2021 saw an average of 70 annual deaths during pregnancy, at birth, or within a year of it — one mother every five days and over 200 mothers in all.
“We’re not stopping just to have the lowest rate. One mom lost is one mom too many,” said California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos at a state-hosted ethnic media forum on Strong Start & Beyond. Over 80 percent of maternal deaths were preventable, according to a California medical report.
Strong, Start & Beyond is a movement aiming to reduce maternal mortality by 50 percent by December 2026. By leveraging the state’s investments and partnerships, Strong Start & Beyond is focused on fostering awareness, encouraging active participation in health, and building access to resources for mothers, pregnant people, and their families.
“We’re looking to address ethnic and racial disparities in maternal mortality,” said Ramos. “While we’ve improved some rates, others are steadily increasing.”
From 2013 to 2021 — the latest data available — the Black maternal mortality rate improved from five to seven times higher, down to three to four times higher than other groups, or a current 49.7 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“The goal of Strong Start & Beyond is to address what moms are dying of, and focus on what can be done before they’re pregnant,” said Ramos.
California mothers are dying from chronic issues like heart disease, 23 percent and behavioral health, 12 percent, rather than traditional causes like bleeding, 14 percent or infection, 12 percent, according to state dashboards.
“As an OBGYN, that first appointment, I’d tell a person ‘It looks like you’re going to be high-risk based upon your history.’ And I would hear, over and over: ‘I wish I’d known before I became pregnant that I could have done something,’” said Ramos.
The organization has a few methods to help mothers and soon-to-be mothers, like the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), and they also focus on mental and emotional health by educating them on perinatal disparities, contraception, abortion access, and reproductive rights.
As of 2021, most maternal deaths in California — 27.4 percent — occur one to six weeks after delivery, while 61.1 percent of deaths overall happen within the year after delivery.
“Women are over half of the population, so we all know somebody who faces these risks,” said Ramos. “Having a child is an amazing experience, but it’s an exhausting experience, and it’ll take a community effort to help.”