The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released a report on the number of deaths in the US that result from health complications associated with pregnancy. This report states that 3 out of 5 mothers that die during pregnancy or childbirth could have survived with adequate care. The CDC report also states that these preventable fatalities can occur from pregnancy to up to a year after giving birth.

According to the report, over half of all maternal deaths are preventable. The biggest factors contributing to this are: delayed and missed diagnoses, failure to identify warning signs, and lack of access to healthcare

700 pregnancy-related deaths that occur in the US every year. Additionally, roughly 50,000 women suffer from an array of childbirth-related complications. The director of the CDC’s reproductive health division states that quality services, risk awareness, and early diagnosis are crucial to preventing deaths and complications related to childbirth.