Introduction
The maternal mortality rate is the ratio of deaths due to complications from pregnancy and childbirth. This can be either deaths directly caused by the pregnancy, childbirth, or other causes that happen within 42 days after the end of a pregnancy.
Worldwide, the maternal mortality rate has dropped by over 40% since 1990; however, in that same time the maternal mortality rate has increased in the United States, it being the country with the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world. While it is unclear what exactly is causing the increase, one factor often cited is the fact that more women are choosing to have children later in life, resulting in more high-risk pregnancies.
While there is no single answer on reversing the maternal mortality trend, critics argue that a standardized protocol for doctors to follow nationwide would increase the quality of care in less-fortunate communities.
Learn for yourself how states differ in maternal mortality rate by looking at the data in the charts.
| # | State | Maternal Mortality Rate | Infant Mortality Rate | Infant Deaths at Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 40.4 per 100k | 7.38 per 1k | 264 |
| 2 | Kentucky | 39.7 per 100k | 6.43 per 1k | 327 |
| 3 | Alabama | 36.2 per 100k | 6.99 per 1k | 404 |
| 4 | Tennessee | 34.6 per 100k | 6.38 per 1k | 495 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 31.8 per 100k | 7.59 per 1k | 430 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 30.2 per 100k | 8.12 per 1k | 293 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 28.9 per 100k | 6.64 per 1k | 364 |
| 8 | Georgia | 28.8 per 100k | 6.28 per 1k | 765 |
| 9 | Arizona | 28.3 per 100k | 5.19 per 1k | 405 |
| 10 | Indiana | 28.2 per 100k | 6.75 per 1k | 527 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 28.2 per 100k | 5.68 per 1k | 137 |
| 12 | Missouri | 25.2 per 100k | 5.89 per 1k | 392 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | 24.6 per 100k | 5.9 per 1k | 279 |
| 14 | New Jersey | 24.1 per 100k | 4 per 1k | 393 |
| 15 | Texas | 22.9 per 100k | 5.29 per 1k | 1,968 |
| 16 | Virginia | 22.3 per 100k | 5.76 per 1k | 544 |
| 17 | Florida | 21.7 per 100k | 5.8 per 1k | 1,214 |
| 18 | Kansas | 21.7 per 100k | 6.6 per 1k | 236 |
| 19 | Ohio | 21.3 per 100k | 6.7 per 1k | 864 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 20.6 per 100k | 6.77 per 1k | 800 |
| 21 | Washington | 20.5 per 100k | 4.51 per 1k | 373 |
| 22 | New York | 20.2 per 100k | 4.08 per 1k | 853 |
| 23 | Michigan | 19.6 per 100k | 6.8 per 1k | 704 |
| 24 | Nevada | 19.2 per 100k | 4.64 per 1k | 155 |
| 25 | Maryland | 18.6 per 100k | 5.73 per 1k | 391 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | 15 per 100k | 5.58 per 1k | 726 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 14.7 per 100k | 3.94 per 1k | 261 |
| 28 | Colorado | 14.4 per 100k | 4.8 per 1k | 294 |
| 29 | Illinois | 12.9 per 100k | 5.5 per 1k | 737 |
| 30 | California | 10.2 per 100k | 3.92 per 1k | 1,651 |
Maternal Mortality Rate by State
Alabama
Maternal Mortality Rate
36.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#3
6.99 per 1k
↓ 9.34%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#6
Infant Deaths at Birth
404
Ranked in the US
#35
Arizona
Maternal Mortality Rate
28.3 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#9
5.19 per 1k
↓ 4.42%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#31
Infant Deaths at Birth
405
Ranked in the US
#36
Arkansas
Maternal Mortality Rate
40.4 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#1
7.38 per 1k
↑ 5.43%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#3
Infant Deaths at Birth
264
Ranked in the US
#23
California
Maternal Mortality Rate
10.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#30
3.92 per 1k
↓ 7.33%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#49
Infant Deaths at Birth
1,651
Ranked in the US
#49
Colorado
Maternal Mortality Rate
14.4 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#28
4.8 per 1k
↓ 1.03%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#37
Infant Deaths at Birth
294
Ranked in the US
#27
Florida
Maternal Mortality Rate
21.7 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#17
5.8 per 1k
↓ 4.92%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#20
Infant Deaths at Birth
1,214
Ranked in the US
#48
Georgia
Maternal Mortality Rate
28.8 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#8
6.28 per 1k
↓ 10.54%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#16
Infant Deaths at Birth
765
Ranked in the US
#44
Illinois
Maternal Mortality Rate
12.9 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#29
5.5 per 1k
↓ 3%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#25
Infant Deaths at Birth
737
Ranked in the US
#43
Indiana
Maternal Mortality Rate
28.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#10
6.75 per 1k
↑ 3.21%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#9
Infant Deaths at Birth
527
Ranked in the US
#39
Kansas
Maternal Mortality Rate
21.7 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#18
6.6 per 1k
↑ 21.77%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#12
Infant Deaths at Birth
236
Ranked in the US
#20
Kentucky
Maternal Mortality Rate
39.7 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#2
6.43 per 1k
↑ 31.22%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#13
Infant Deaths at Birth
327
Ranked in the US
#28
Louisiana
Maternal Mortality Rate
31.8 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#5
7.59 per 1k
↓ 4.77%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#2
Infant Deaths at Birth
430
Ranked in the US
#37
Maryland
Maternal Mortality Rate
18.6 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#25
5.73 per 1k
↓ 1.88%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#22
Infant Deaths at Birth
391
Ranked in the US
#32
Massachusetts
Maternal Mortality Rate
14.7 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#27
3.94 per 1k
↑ 5.63%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#48
Infant Deaths at Birth
261
Ranked in the US
#22
Michigan
Maternal Mortality Rate
19.6 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#23
6.8 per 1k
↑ 6.58%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#7
Infant Deaths at Birth
704
Ranked in the US
#41
Mississippi
Maternal Mortality Rate
30.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#6
8.12 per 1k
↓ 6.77%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#1
Infant Deaths at Birth
293
Ranked in the US
#26
Missouri
Maternal Mortality Rate
25.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#12
5.89 per 1k
↓ 4.07%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#19
Infant Deaths at Birth
392
Ranked in the US
#33
Nebraska
Maternal Mortality Rate
28.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#11
5.68 per 1k
↑ 15.21%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#23
Infant Deaths at Birth
137
Ranked in the US
#15
Nevada
Maternal Mortality Rate
19.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#24
4.64 per 1k
↓ 18.17%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#38
Infant Deaths at Birth
155
Ranked in the US
#17
New Jersey
Maternal Mortality Rate
24.1 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#14
4 per 1k
↓ 5.21%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#46
Infant Deaths at Birth
393
Ranked in the US
#34
New York
Maternal Mortality Rate
20.2 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#22
4.08 per 1k
↓ 5.77%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#45
Infant Deaths at Birth
853
Ranked in the US
#46
North Carolina
Maternal Mortality Rate
20.6 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#20
6.77 per 1k
↓ 0.15%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#8
Infant Deaths at Birth
800
Ranked in the US
#45
Ohio
Maternal Mortality Rate
21.3 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#19
6.7 per 1k
↓ 2.76%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#10
Infant Deaths at Birth
864
Ranked in the US
#47
Oklahoma
Maternal Mortality Rate
24.6 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#13
5.9 per 1k
↓ 15.71%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#18
Infant Deaths at Birth
279
Ranked in the US
#25
Pennsylvania
Maternal Mortality Rate
15 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#26
5.58 per 1k
↓ 5.9%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#24
Infant Deaths at Birth
726
Ranked in the US
#42
South Carolina
Maternal Mortality Rate
28.9 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#7
6.64 per 1k
↓ 3.63%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#11
Infant Deaths at Birth
364
Ranked in the US
#30
Tennessee
Maternal Mortality Rate
34.6 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#4
6.38 per 1k
↓ 8.33%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#14
Infant Deaths at Birth
495
Ranked in the US
#38
Texas
Maternal Mortality Rate
22.9 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#15
5.29 per 1k
↓ 3.47%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#29
Infant Deaths at Birth
1,968
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
Maternal Mortality Rate
22.3 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#16
5.76 per 1k
↓ 0.86%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#21
Infant Deaths at Birth
544
Ranked in the US
#40
Washington
Maternal Mortality Rate
20.5 per 100k
Ranked in the US
#21
4.51 per 1k
↑ 5.87%
Vs 2019
Ranked in the US
#39
Infant Deaths at Birth
373
Ranked in the US
#31