Rep. Cleaver Hosts Roundtable on Maternal Mortality

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) hosted a roundtable on maternal mortality. The roundtable discussion included qualified healthcare professionals and representatives from organizations throughout Kansas City and Missouri whose work is focused on addressing the rising maternal death rate, including physicians from Saint Luke's Heart Disease in Pregnancy Program (HDPP) and Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center, acting director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Director of Nurture KC, and representatives from March of Dimes.

The United States is now the only industrialized nation with a rising maternal death rate, ranking 31st out of 31 nations that track maternal deaths, with African Americans dying at four times the rate of White Americans. Importantly, it is estimated that up to three quarters of these deaths are preventable.

"No woman should die while giving birth," said Congressman Cleaver. "In the United States of America, one of the most developed countries in the world, in the year two thousand twenty-two, a rising maternal mortality rate is unequivocally unacceptable. I am thankful for the groups that joined me today for this important discussion. These are people who, each and every day, work at the intersection of advocacy and direct practice to address this critical issue. As Members of Congress, we have a moral obligation to join those already in the throes to tackle this challenge, and I am committed to working towards ending the preventable deaths of mothers."

"It often comes as a surprise to policymakers and the public that maternal mortality is higher in the United States than in most other developed and high-income countries, despite having a highly technologically advanced health care system," said Paula Nickelson, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. "Missouri's latest data shows us that 82% of pregnancy-related deaths were determined to be preventable, so we know our efforts can make an impact. We welcome Congressman Cleaver's interest in this work and the opportunity to discuss current and needed efforts to address this issue effectively."

"Missouri has consistently been in the bottom ten for maternal deaths for the last decade and this number continues to rise," said Dr. Karen Florio, Director of Saint Luke's Heart Conditions in Pregnancy Program & Chair of the Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review at MO DHSS. "Only concerted, collaborative partnerships at the local, state, and federal level will help elevate the state of maternal health care across our state and throughout the nation. I'd like to thank Congressman Cleaver for hosting today's roundtable event which is one small step in the direction of advancing care for Missouri mothers."

• In 2020, 1 in 9 babies (11.0% of live births) was born preterm in Missouri
• In 2020, 1 in 12 babies (8.7% of live births) was low birthweight in Missouri
• In Missouri in 2019, 443 infants died before reaching their first birthday, an infant mortality rate of 6.1 per 1,000 live births
• In Missouri in 2020, 76.5% of infants were born to women receiving adequate/adequate plus prenatal care
• In Missouri in 2020, 29.3% of live births were cesarean deliveries
• In 2020, about 1 in 8 women of childbearing age (13.0%) was uninsured in Missouri.
• 53 of 114 counties in Missouri are classified as maternity care deserts and an additional 23 counties with low access to maternity care
• Missouri's public health funding is 49th-50th in per capita funding

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.