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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Heart problems have been the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. for 17 of the past 20 years, according to a sweeping new study. Mortality spiked dramatically between 2018 and 2021 — largely driven by COVID-19 — before declining. Meanwhile, deaths from hemorrhage have been quietly but steadily climbing since 2017.
Heart problems have dominated pregnancy-related deaths in the United States for nearly two decades, according to a major new study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Analyzing over 14,000 pregnancy-related deaths from 2005 to 2024, researchers found that cardiovascular conditions — including cardiomyopathy — were the leading cause of death in 17 out of 20 years studied.
Mortality rates surged between 2018 and 2021, peaking at 33.17 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021, before declining in subsequent years. COVID-19 played a major role in that spike, accounting for nearly 59% of infection- or sepsis-related deaths from 2020 to 2024. On a more concerning note, hemorrhage-related deaths have been on a steady upward trend since 2017.
Why it matters: Pregnancy-related death is a critical marker of a nation's healthcare quality. These findings highlight where research, clinical interventions, and public health resources need to be directed — particularly around heart health in pregnancy and the ongoing rise in hemorrhage deaths.
