Maternal Mortality Rates in New York Rival Developing Countries

23 June 2010

Worldwide, giving birth is far less dangerous than it was even two decades ago. A new report shows that maternal mortality, however, remains a serious threat - even in wealthy, industrialized nations.

A report released by New York City's health department says the percentage of women who die in pregnancy and childbirth in the New York metro area is double that of the national average. Health officials in New York say the maternal mortality rate in the United States itself rivals that of poorer developed countries like Singapore and Ireland.

Dr. Jo Boufford

Dr. Jo Boufford, president of the New York Academy of Medicine, which sponsored the maternal mortality conference where the report was released, says the developed and the developing worlds tend to promote different strategies to fight maternal death. And she says while both approaches have merits, each alone is only partially effective.

"The difference is the developing countries have focused on public health, prevention and primary and prenatal care in the area of maternal mortality," says Boufford. "And their struggle and barrier is having an adequate health workforce and facilities for the kind of high-tech things that happen to mothers that are at risk …"

In contrast, Boufford says developed nations have excellent medical technology.