Columbia Researchers Share New Data on Maternal Mortality

Investigators analyzing U.S. maternal mortality reported that accidental drug overdose, homicide, and suicide were the leading causes of death among pregnant and postpartum women.

The analysis reported accidental overdose as the leading cause of death (5.2 deaths per 100,000 births), followed by homicide and suicide combined (3.9 deaths per 100,000 births).

The analysis drew on death-certificate data from 2018–2023 to identify deaths in the United States among pregnant women and those within 42 days after delivery. Timing patterns suggested that many external-cause deaths occurred before delivery rather than after. Specifically, the investigators reported that overdose and violent deaths occurred during pregnancy more than half the time.

In contrast, the next most common medical causes listed—cardiovascular disease, infection, hypertension, and hemorrhage—were described as occurring more often in the immediate postpartum period.