title: Pregnancy-related mortality in the United States, 2006-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To update national population-level pregnancy-related mortality estimates and examine characteristics and causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States during 2006-2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System and calculated pregnancy-related mortality ratios by year and age group for four race-ethnicity groups: non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and other. We examined causes of pregnancy-related deaths by pregnancy outcome during 2006-2010 and compared causes of pregnancy-related deaths since 1987.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2006-2010 pregnancy-related mortality ratio was 16.0 deaths per 100,000 live births (20,959,533 total live births). Specific race-ethnicity pregnancy-related mortality ratios were 12.0, 38.9, 11.7, and 14.2 deaths per 100,000 live births for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and other race women, respectively. Pregnancy-related mortality ratios increased with maternal age for all women and within all age groups, non-Hispanic black women had the highest risk of dying from pregnancy complications. Over time, the contribution to pregnancy-related deaths of hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, embolism, and anesthesia complications continued to decline, whereas the contribution of cardiovascular conditions and infection increased. Seven of 10 categories of causes of death each contributed from 9.4% to 14.6% of all 2006-2010 pregnancy-related deaths; cardiovascular conditions ranked first.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relative to previous years, during 2006-2010, the U.S. pregnancy-related mortality ratio increased as did the contribution of cardiovascular conditions and infection to pregnancy-related mortality. Although the identification of pregnancy-related deaths may be improving in the United States, the increasing contribution of chronic diseases to pregnancy-related mortality suggests a change in risk profile of the birthing population.
  
  
  METHODS
  II.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Andreea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Creanga
authors.forename: Cynthia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Syverson
authors.forename: Kristi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.forename: F Carol
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Callaghan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D050498:Live Birth; D008423:Maternal Age; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000208:ethnology / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult