New DPH Maternal Morbidity Report Reinforces Need for Bold Maternal Justice Package

Severe maternal morbidity doubled for all birthing people from 2011 to 2020

Black maternal morbidity increased 10.1% each year

BOSTON (July 12, 2023) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health today released a new data brief regarding rates of severe maternal morbidity in Massachusetts from 2011 to 2020. The data shows sharp increases in maternal morbidity in the state over the course of the last decade, disproportionately impacting Black birthing people. Major takeaways from the report include:

• Severe maternal morbidity for all birthing people nearly doubled from 2011 to 2020, from 52.3 per 10,000 deliveries in 2011 to 100.4 per 10,000 in 2020. This is an average increase of 8.9 percent per year.

• Severe maternal morbidity for Black birthing people increased from 94.8 per 10,000 deliveries in 2011 to 191 per 10,000 deliveries in 2020. This is a more than 100 percent increase over the decade and an average increase of 10.1 percent per year.

• In 2011, the severe maternal morbidity rate for Black birthing people was twice the rate for white birthing people. In 2020, the severe maternal morbidity rate for Black birthing people was 2.5 times higher than that of white birthing people.

“This new data is a sobering reminder that Massachusetts is not immune from the maternal morbidity crisis. Even in a state that has acted time and time again to expand access to reproductive health care, too many people—especially Black birthing people—are continuing to face life-threatening complications from pregnancy,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now. “As extremists continue to wage attacks on maternal health nationwide, Massachusetts has a responsibility to step up, improve birthing outcomes, and eliminate racial disparities for birthing people. The Legislature should move to pass Senator Liz Miranda’s Massachusetts Momnibus package to advance recommendations from the Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health, in addition to allocating appropriate funding for the Department of Public Health to ensure it has the resources and staffing to fully tackle this crisis. These statistics are horrifying, and we must remember that these data points are more than numbers. We’re dealing with people’s lives and livelihoods and we cannot wait to act any longer.”

Reproductive Equity Now is advocating for the following bills to address the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in Massachusetts:

• An Act Relative to Birthing Justice in the Commonwealth (S.1415)
  Introduced by Senator Liz Miranda
  This bill—Massachusetts' Momnibus package—introduces a framework to improve maternal health outcomes and advance recommendations from the Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health, including better integrating midwifery care into our maternal health care system to improve access to out-of-hospital birthing options and reducing financial and administrative barriers to the creation of free-standing birth centers.

• An Act Promoting Access to Midwifery Care and Out-of-Hospital Birth Options (H.2209, S.1457)
  Introduced by Representatives Kay Khan & Brandy Fluker Oakley and Senator Rebecca Rausch
  This legislation improves access to home births and birth centers by bringing Massachusetts state licensure of Certified Professional Midwives in line with national guidelines. CPMs are licensed in 37 other states, including in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island. This legislation is included in Senator Miranda’s An Act Relative to Birthing Justice in the Commonwealth.

• An Act Relative to Medicaid Coverage for Doula Services (H.1240, S.782)
  Introduced by Representative Lindsay Sabadosa and Senator Liz Miranda
  This legislation would mandate MassHealth coverage of doula care. Doulas are trained professionals who provide physical, emotional, and educational support to birthing people not only during labor and delivery, but also before and after pregnancy. By empowering pregnant people to be their own advocate, doula care can help improve birthing experiences, breastfeeding, and maternal health outcomes. This legislation is included in Senator Miranda’s An Act Relative to Birthing Justice in the Commonwealth.

• An Act Ensuring Access to Full Spectrum Pregnancy Care (H.1137, S.646)
  Representatives Lindsay Sabadosa & Ruth Balser and Senator Cindy Friedman
  This legislation would require health insurance plans to cover all pregnancy care—including prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care—without any kind of cost-sharing. This bill would help reduce cost barriers to essential care and improve pregnancy outcomes for low-income and marginalized populations. This legislation is included in Senator Miranda’s An Act Relative to Birthing Justice in the Commonwealth.

In 2020, the Massachusetts Legislature passed An Act to Reduce Racial Inequities in Maternal Health, which established the Special Legislative Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health. The Commission was tasked with filing a report including a comprehensive list of recommendations to reduce or eliminate racial inequities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the Commonwealth. Many of these recommendations are included in Senator Miranda’s An Act Relative to Birthing Justice in the Commonwealth.

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