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CDC Reports Improvement in Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S., DeWine Address Ohio’s Infant Mortality Crisis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on maternal mortality rates indicating an overall decrease from 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022, to 18.6 in 2023. However, these encouraging numbers do not reflect improvements across all demographics as the rate for Black woman rose from 49.5 in 2022 to 50.3 in 2023.

According to the report, that maternal mortality rates decreased for white non-Hispanic (19.0 to 14.5), Hispanic (16.9 to 12.4), and Asian non-Hispanic women (13.2 to 10.7). Rates decreased for women younger than 25 (14.4 to 12.5) and women ages 25–39 (21.1 to 18.1), and women ages 40 and older saw a significant decrease — 87.1 to 59.8. This decrease, while an improvement, is still nearly five times the maternal mortality rate of women younger than 25.

The World Health Organization defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. The CDC reports that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

According to the CDC, 669 women died due to pregnancy related complications in 2023, compared with 817 in 2022. In addition to the maternal mortality crisis, the U.S. is experiencing an infant mortality crisis with more than 20,000 infants dying in 2022.

Ohio’s Infant Mortality Crisis

Defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday, infant mortality is an important marker of the overall health of a society. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030 includes an objective to reduce the rate of all infant deaths to 5.0 or fewer per 1,000 live births across the United States by 2030.

In the U.S., the infant mortality rate was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022. That same year, Ohio had the eighth-highest infant death rate in the country — 7.11.

CDC data also shows a significant racial disparity among infant deaths in Ohio. While 5.7 white infants died per 1,000 births, 13.4 Black infants died per 1,000 births.

A report from Groundwork Ohio offers a more in depth look into the crisis faced by many Ohioans. The report explains that between 2012 and 2020, the state’s overall rate declined steadily, from 7.6 deaths per 1,000 births in 2012 to 6.7 in 2020.

While this is a positive, a closer look reveals that this decrease was driven by a decline in the deaths of white infants, with the rate falling from 6.4 deaths per 1,000 in 2012 to 5.1 in 2020.

During this period, the Black infant mortality rate rose consistently through 2017 before concluding the decade the below the rate seen in 2020. The infant mortality rate in Ohio has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, though it remains unclear whether this is a temporary anomaly or part of a broader trend.

This disparity in infant mortality rates between Black and white infants has grown. In 2022, Black infants died at a rate of 2.4 times higher than white infants, up from 2.2 in 2012. This widening gap is primarily due to the faster decline in infant mortality for White infants.

Ohio’s Strong Foundations Act

In Jan. 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the Strong Foundations Act into law. This legislation, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus), aims to address Ohio’s infant mortality crisis through enhancing support for women and babies.

The new statute also expands support for home visiting services, where professionals assist pregnant women and families with children under the age of 5. Ohio will be required to create a program that coordinates these services and conduct annual evaluations of its effectiveness. Additionally, the law expands mental health services under Medicaid for children under five.

The Strong Foundation Act will mandate the Ohio Department of Health to explore strategies to boost participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This program offers personalized guidance on healthy eating, lactation support, and provides vouchers for purchasing food and baby formula.

You can learn more about Ohio’s maternal and infant mortality crisis by exploring Healthy Northeast Ohio’s Maternal and Infant Health dashboard and the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics’ website.