California’s surgeon general has unveiled a new initiative to reduce maternal mortality and set a goal of halving the rate of deaths related to pregnancy and birth by December 2026.
Health officials say that more than 80% of maternal deaths nationwide are preventable. California has achieved a much lower rate of such deaths than the U.S., but maternal mortality resurged in recent years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, state data show .
“We have the lowest rate in the country. Now we can do better,” California Surgeon General Dr. Diana E. Ramos said in an interview.
Ramos was joined in announcing the effort Tuesday by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In California, leading causes of such deaths include heart disease, bleeding, “behavioral health” issues such as mental illness and substance use, and infection. More than a fifth of pregnancy-related deaths in California occur the day of delivery, but the majority happen in the days, weeks and months that follow, according to state data .