Deaths of women during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of a pregnancy ending, per 100,000 live births in 2023.
Source: Americas Health Rankings
The Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is the number of deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes) during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, per 100,000 live births.
Everyone deserves the right to a safe and healthy birth. However, the reality is that many in our state face difficulty in attaining this right. Maternal mortality reflects not only the health of individual mothers but also the health of communities as a whole.
The United States has consistently seen high rates of maternal mortality compared to other high-income countries. This is largely due to a lack of economic and social protections for women and the social determinants of health, which shape health outcomes in America. Unfortunately, many of these pregnancy-related deaths – including 67.4% in Oklahoma (2018-2022) – are preventable.
A variety of physical, social, and behavioral factors influence maternal mortality rates. Cardiovascular complications (both prior to and during pregnancy), hemorrhage, and infection are primary drivers of maternal mortality both state-wide and nationally. Mental health disorders, including substance-use disorder, have been linked to risk of maternal complications and death. For Oklahoma specifically, medical adherence (19%), quality of care (17.5%) and delay of care (12.7%) have been recent common factors present in maternal deaths.
There are striking racial/ethnic disparities in Oklahoma’s maternal mortality patterns. As of 2023, Black (71.6 deaths per 100,000 live births) and Indigenous women (53.7 deaths per 100,000 live births) are about 3x more likely to die from childbirth or childbirth-related complications than their White counterparts (19.2 deaths per 100,000 live births), mirroring national trends. In the face of these alarming statistics, it is crucial to delve deeper into the root causes of these disparities and work towards a more equitable healthcare system for all.
Some women are also at higher risk of maternal mortality than others. Mothers who are older than 35, received a high school education or less, uninsured (See Uninsured Women), impoverished (See Women Experiencing Poverty), or living in rural areas (See Access to Care in Rural Areas) face a higher likelihood of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy. Addressing these disparities is a necessary step towards improving health outcomes for women in our state.
Established in 2019 and restructured in 2024, Oklahoma’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) is essential to providing information on maternal health outcomes in the state. The committee’s annual reports provide substantial insight into factors driving MMR and allow for comparison to national trends. However, as stated in their reports, under/over estimations of MMR could be present. In particular, data surrounding MMR for American Indian/Alaska Native mothers may be more limited due to racial misclassifications and data sovereignty. Further confounding factors may include inaccuracies in hospital reporting and record accessibility.
The Coronavirus pandemic caused an uptick in maternal mortality rates both nationally and statewide from 2020 to 2022. On average, about one-fifth of maternal deaths in the U.S. and one-quarter of maternal deaths in Oklahoma from 2020 to 2022 were COVID-related. As stated in the newly released 2025 MMRC report, it is expected that MMR rates will decrease in future years, with the exclusion of 2021 data from future MMR calculations. This exclusion reflects a more accurate, consistent estimate of rates, as rates in 2021 were abnormally high due to the impact of COVID-19 on mortality and public health.
This issue brief was written by Metriarch staff as part of our Data Lookbook. Review and contributions made by Joyce Marshall, MPH.
Suggested citation
Metriarch. “Maternal and Child Health,” Data Lookbook (2025). URL: metriarchok.org/maternal-mortality.
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