CDC / Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC)

• Prevalence of mental health as a contributing factor

  • Among pregnancy-related deaths in 2020, MMRCs found that a mental health condition (other than substance use disorder) was a contributing circumstance in about 26% of deaths. HRSA

  • Substance use disorders similarly contributed in roughly 25% of those deaths. HRSA

  • Overall, mental health plus substance use disorders represent a substantial fraction of the non-medical (or indirect) causes/contributing circumstances. CDC+2HRSA+2

• Underlying causes: Mental health as direct cause

  • In MMRC data covering 2017-2019 for 36‐participating states, mental health conditions (including suicide, overdose/poisoning related to substance use, and other psychiatric causes) were one of the leading underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths, accounting for about 23% of those deaths. Wikipedia+2CDC+2

  • In a study of 421 pregnancy-related deaths, about 11% of them had mental health conditions (not just contributing factors) as the underlying cause. PMC

• Trends & Demographic Disparities

  • MMRC data suggest that non-Hispanic White women have a higher proportion of maternal deaths due to mental health issues (including substance use) compared to non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women. Commonwealth Fund

  • Disparities exist also in detection and treatment of maternal mental health disorders (e.g. postpartum depression, anxiety) though the MMRC data primarily focus on deaths rather than prevalence or treatment. Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health+1

• Preventability & Related Circumstances

  • A majority of pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable. Within those, many mental health-related deaths might be avoidable with earlier diagnosis, access to mental health care, better coordination among providers, and attention to social determinants. CDC+2HRSA+2

  • Other contributing or co-occurring risk factors include substance use disorder, lack of access to high quality care, social factors (e.g., housing, income, discrimination). Mental health conditions often intersect with these circumstances.

  • https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/php/data-research/mmrc/index.html?cove-tab=0