Maternal deaths among Black women in the United States surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, even as mortality rates for White women declined, according to new national data.
Between 2018 and mid-2024, more than 3.6 million Black women and 17 million White women gave birth. The pregnancy-related mortality ratio was 68 deaths per 100,000 live births for Black women, compared with 26.3 for White women. Similarly, maternal mortality stood at 46.5 for Black women, more than double the 17.6 recorded for White women.
During the pandemic, deaths rose sharply for both groups, but Black women experienced the steepest increase. Their pregnancy-related mortality jumped by 29.4 per 100,000, compared with 11.8 among White women. Even after the public health crisis eased, disparities remained. Post-pandemic, Black women still faced nearly 10 additional deaths per 100,000 births compared with pre-pandemic rates, while outcomes for White women returned close to baseline. The result was a widening racial gap.
Researchers point to systemic inequities—unequal access to prenatal and postpartum care, inconsistent insurance coverage, and racially biased medical practices—as drivers of the divide. These barriers often intersect with higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity in Black communities, conditions that compound pregnancy risks. The authors warn that the U.S. maternal mortality crisis now reflects not just a pandemic spike but an entrenched pattern of disparity.
Placed in a global context, the findings are stark. While most high-income nations report maternal mortality rates of 10 or fewer per 100,000 live births, the rate for Black women in the United States remained above 50 in 2023.
See: “Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis” (August 18, 2025)
