In 2017, ProPublica introduced a series of articles titled “Lost Mothers”—which was recently awarded the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting—to raise awareness about preventable maternal deaths and striking maternal health inequities in the United States (U.S.). The featured article describes an effort to identify the estimated 700 to 900 women who died from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes in 2016 in the U.S., presenting heart-wrenching stories of women from around the country. Other articles highlight critical maternal health issues in the U.S. with an emphasis on racial inequities, quality of care and monitoring and surveillance of maternal deaths.
Featured article
Lost mothers
Nina Martin | July 2017
Selected articles
A larger role for midwives could improve deficient U.S. care for mothers and babies
Nina Martin | February 2018
Maternal deaths are increasing in Texas, but probably not as much as we thought
Robin Fields | January 2018
How hospitals are failing black mothers
Annie Waldman | December 2017
Severe complications for women during childbirth are skyrocketing — and could often be prevented
Katherine Ellison and Nina Martin | December 2017
Black women disproportionately suffer complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Let’s talk about It.
Adriana Gallardo | December 2017
Nothing protects black women from dying in pregnancy and childbirth
Nina Martin and Renee Montagne | December 2017
How many American women die from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth? No one knows.
Robin Fields and Joe Sexton | October 2017
Many nurses lack knowledge of health risks for new mothers, study finds
Nina Martin and Renee Montagne | August 2017
‘If you hemorrhage, don’t clean up’: Advice from mothers who almost died
Adriana Gallardo, Nina Martin and Renee Montagne | August 2017
The last person you’d expect to die in childbirth
Nina Martin | May 2017
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Learn more about maternal health in the U.S. on the Maternal Health Task Force blog and topic page.