Maternal Deaths on the Rise: Blood Clots Identified as Leading Cause of Death Within 6 Weeks of Giving Birth
Researchers have found that the maternal death rate has significantly increased, reaching the highest level in two decades. According to the latest annual report, this increase is statistically significant after deaths connected to COVID-19 are taken into account. It also shows that thrombosis and thromboembolism were the leading causes of these deaths.
The data was compiled by the MBRRACE-UK collaboration and highlights the increasing mortality rate for women who died during or soon after pregnancy. This increase in maternal deaths has been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other contributing factors such as heart disease and mental health-related causes have also been identified.
These findings point to the pressing need to address pre-pregnancy health, especially in tackling conditions like obesity. The report also reveals disparities in maternal death rates among different ethnicities and socioeconomic groups.
Although the full report is due to be published later this year, it is clear that improving maternity safety needs to be a top priority. The NHS continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women, as well as inoculations for the flu and whooping cough.
