The rising US maternal mortality rate 

The nation’s maternal mortality rate has been climbing for 20 years. While the global maternal death rate has fallen, the United States has one of the highest rates among developed countries. The Department of Health and Human Services uses this rate to measure the state of women’s health overall — so what do the numbers say? USAFacts dug into the data for more context on this situation.

• The nation’s maternal mortality rate rose from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 23.8 in 2020. For comparison, the rate was 9.8 per 100,000 live births in 2000.

• Black women consistently have the highest maternal mortality rate nationwide. In 2000, the Black maternal mortality rate was 22 deaths per 100,000 births. The rate has grown lately, reaching 44 deaths per 100,000 in 2019 and 55.3 in 2020.
   
• Maternal mortality rates rose the most for Hispanic women from 2019 to 2020, rising by 44%.

• In 2020, the rate for women 40 and older was 107.9 deaths for every 100,000 live births, a 43% increase from the year before.
   
• The global maternal mortality rate decreased by 44% from 1990 to 2015. The US is 46th among 181 developed nations for maternal deaths.

Click here to learn more about the nation’s maternal death rate with 40 years of interactive age data.


How do sanctions work? 

Sanctions are one of the ways the United States, along with other nations, is responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These federal government actions restrict economic activity between countries and foreign entities such as people or other nations. Read this new article for more on how the US implements sanctions.

• Those recently sanctioned by the US include dozens of Russian companies, organizations, and people — including Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.
   
• Sanctions are a tool used to influence the actions of other countries as an alternative to military action. These restrictions, including blocking assets and trade, are made for reasons other than business, such as foreign policy or national security. Sanctions are distinct from tariffs directed at specific countries or regions.
   
• The Treasury Department has 37 active sanction programs as of March 2022, including one against Cuba dating back to 1962. The department has issued $6.5 billion in penalties since 2008. The largest fine was $1.1 billion assessed to France-based BNP Paribas, a banking company accused of processing transactions with sanctioned people in Sudan, Iran, Cuba, and Burma.

Learn more here.


One last fact

The federal government enacted 81 actions on land, energy, and the environment in 2021. More than half regarded pollution, including 14 actions regulating the use of hazardous materials and 15 establishing regulations on how humans interact with animals. See the State of the Union in Numbers for additional actions on the economy, healthcare, and more.