Texas Maternal Deaths Fall to 20.5 per 100,000
A state committee's biennial report finds more than three-quarters of 2021 and 2024 pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Pregnancy
Live Poll
Do you think Texas is doing enough to keep mothers alive during pregnancy?
The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee released a biennial report showing the state's maternal mortality ratio fell to 20.5 deaths per 100,000 births in 2024, down from 23.5 in 2021. The report found more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related deaths in both years were preventable.
Why it matters
The findings point to persistent disparities, with Black women's pregnancy-related mortality 2.4 times higher than non-Hispanic white women's, and severe maternal morbidity rising from 80.4 to 83.5. Mental health was the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in 2024, and more than half of deaths in both studied years involved women on Medicaid.
Violence, including suicide or homicide, was a contributing factor in 19% of pregnancy-related deaths in 2024, up from 5% in the earlier review period. Obesity as a contributing factor fell from 63% to 29% over the same comparison.
The players
Texas Department of State Health Services
The state agency that oversees public health programs in Texas, including the maternal mortality review process and its data reporting.
Charlene Ward Johnson
A Democratic state representative from Houston who filed a bill calling for a separate study on Black maternal health in Texas.
The details
The committee reviewed individual pregnancy-related deaths from 2021 and 2024 and shifted from completing 2021 reviews to 2024 reviews, a move the Texas Department of State Health Services said was intended to keep the data from falling further behind. The report was originally scheduled for September 1, 2026, and was released on November 13, 2026, after a delay tied to the midterm elections.
Timeline
2021: Earlier maternal death year studied, the first year after the abortion ban.
September 1, 2026: Original scheduled release date for the report.
November 13, 2026: Report released after the midterm elections delay.
January 2027: Upcoming Texas legislative session begins.
Health Landscape
The report's 2021 baseline falls in the first year after Texas's abortion ban, so the 2024 decline is measured against a period of major legal change in the state. The findings add state-level context to the broader pattern of preventable maternal deaths and racial disparities that the committee has tracked across its reviews.
Texans who are pregnant or planning pregnancies may find the findings relevant to how they access prenatal and postpartum care, particularly mental health support. The report's finding that more than half of deaths involved women on Medicaid highlights how coverage shapes outcomes for many residents.
The takeaway
Most pregnancy-related deaths in Texas were preventable, which points to early mental health screening and continuous insurance coverage as areas where families can seek support. Asking a provider about postpartum mental health services is a practical step for anyone pregnant or recently delivered.
What happens next
The Texas Legislature convenes in January 2027, when lawmakers may take up the separate Black maternal health study proposed by Rep. Charlene Ward Johnson.
Further reading
For more on related maternal health coverage, explore Pregnancy news from across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KPRC.
Live Poll
Do you think Texas is doing enough to keep mothers alive during pregnancy?
