The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of all high-income countries. Compared to women in Canada and France, women in the United States are twice as likely to die from childbirth complications. This crisis is especially pronounced in ethnic and racial minority populations: Black and Native American women in the United States are much more likely to perish from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts and are more likely to suffer severe maternal morbidity due to postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and sepsis. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on these groups is not yet known, but given the way it has exacerbated racial inequities nationally and globally, it is expected to have made the situation worse.
How AI Could Help Doctors Reduce Maternal Mortality
The high level of maternal mortality continues to be a major problem in the United States — one that has only been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Research suggests that it can be reduced by a strategy consisting of three elements: 1) using electronic health records and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict which pregnant women are at high risk of experiencing complications while giving birth; 2) employing digital technology to better monitor patients during their pregnancies and improve their access to both routine and high-acuity care (i.e., more specialized and more frequent care) during their pregnancies; and 3) following the guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and referring them to hospitals that offer higher levels of maternal care. Implementing this strategy quickly will require academic medical centers and health systems, technology companies, and state and federal institutions to work together.