HEALTH INTEL The U.S. maternal mortality rate stands at 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births (2021), roughly 2-3x higher than other high-income nations like Canada (7.3) and the UK (7.2). This disparity has widened since 1990 and disproportionately affects Black women, who face rates 2.6x higher than white women—a gap that persists across income and education levels. Underlying factors include delayed diagnosis of pregnancy complications, higher rates of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension in certain populations, and systemic gaps in postpartum care. This metric matters because maternal mortality reflects broader healthcare access failures and predicts infant survival rates, child health outcomes, and economic stability for families and communities.