More Pregnant Women Dying in CA, Says Study

[sasha031]

Despite what the protesters at your local Planned Parenthood may say, abortion is not unsafe. In fact, you're about 20 times more likely to die from childbirth-related ailments than you are from getting an abortion.* In California, a disturbing new report shows that more pregnant women are dying than before, due to increased obesity rates, more Cesarean sections, older mothers, and limited health care access. Part of the rise is also attributed to better data reporting methods.

The study (PDF) says that the maternal mortality rate in California is about 14 out of 100,000 live births. In 2005, it was around 12 and in 2002 it was around 10. The rate (and increase) may not sound high, but take into consideration that more than half a million women give birth in California each year, and the state accounts for 1 of 8 births in the US.
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/04/new-study-shows-more-pregnant-women-dying

[BlueIris]

1. I've been noticing, with great alarm, the climb in maternal mortality in the U.S.

Scary as hell.

[sasha031]

4. this is so sad ,when is the US going to start taking care of their citizens

[indepat]

2. A 40% rate of increase in less than ten years seems alarmingly high

to this bunny. :shrug:

[laundry_queen]

3. Another reason

superbugs.

A few years back, when I was pregnant with my last one, the CBC here in Canada had a news story about a few women that nearly died after childbirth from superbugs - one of them was infected through her epidural needle and is now paralyzed. Another was infected from a c-section. Both spend months and months recovering. Some don't recover. :(

[sasha031]

5. how sad..

:-(

[BlueIris]

11. Yeah, superbugs scare the crap out of me.

A friend of mine lost her baby due to a MRSA infection that was probably acquired in the hospital where she did a lot of her late pregnancy prenatal care. She lived, but the grieving process has been sheer misery.

[Odin2005]

6. My God, I thought death in childbirth was something relegated to the history books!

:cry:

[REP]

10. Maternal mortality/morbidity has never gone away

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[REP]

9. Pregnancy has always been a risky undertaking - sepsis, plencenta previa, toxiemia, etc

Every pregnancy poses a risk to the woman carrying that pregnancy. Check any obstetrics textbook.

[Zephie]

8. One more thing for me to worry about...

I'm jittery enough as it is :scared: