The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its latest Illinois Maternal Mortality Data Report, analyzing data regarding deaths that occurred
Main findings showed during 2021–2022, an average of 110 women in Illinois died each year during pregnancy or within one year after pregnancy, with slightly more deaths in 2021 than in 2022.
About half of these pregnancy-associated deaths (43%) were determined to be pregnancy-related. Overall, pregnancy-related mortality increased during this period compared with previous reporting cycles and MMRCs determined that 91% of pregnancy-related deaths during this period were potentially preventable.
Black women were more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related conditions and three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical complications compared with White women. Geographic patterns also persisted, with Chicago and other urban counties experiencing the highest pregnancy-related mortality.
Substance use disorder was the leading cause of pregnancy-related death, followed by thrombotic embolism, COVID-19, and hemorrhage. Timing of deaths revealed additional prevention opportunities, as about one-third of pregnancy-related deaths occurred more than 60 days postpartum.
Recommendations are organized across the Birth Equity Blueprint goals of optimizing access to health care, improved quality of services, better coordination across systems, and data-driven surveillance and solutions.
Earlier this year, Gov. Pritzker unveiled his Birth Equity Blueprint, a roadmap intended to improve maternal care and birth outcomes in Illinois.
The blueprint includes an Expand Investments in Health Quality and Provider Support. Promote Access to Birthing and Specialty Care Services. Establish Universal Risk Assessment, Referral, and Care Coordination Framework. Develop Shared Measurement and Accountability Framework for Maternal Health and Birth Equity.
The Blueprint builds on the Governor’s Birth Equity Initiative, which has led to millions of dollars of investment in maternal and infant health, including:
12 million in child tax credits
$5 million to expand home visits
$1 million in a diaper pilot program for new parents
$1 million for the Chicago South Side Birth Center
$4.5 million in birth equity seed grants which have helped fund the following:
186 doulas trained across two quarters of implementation, significantly expanding access to culturally competent perinatal support
79 lactation consultants trained, enhancing breastfeeding support capacity across communities
110,647 individuals reached through education and outreach services
7,158 individuals referred to critical maternal and reproductive health services
Strategic planning efforts guided by the Blueprint recently launched at the third Illinois Maternal Health Summit in Bloomington, Illinois. More than 200 maternal health providers, advocates, community-based organizations, researchers, state leaders, and other partners convened to begin shaping coordinated strategies for the year ahead. During the Summit, participants examined current challenges, shared perspectives from their respective communities and systems, and collaborated in breakout sessions focused on each of the four Blueprint goals.
You can get more information on the IDPH website at Maternal Health.
