2016–17 Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Report Released

Department of Health Services logo

The Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Review program has released a new report on pregnancy-associated deaths that occurred to Wisconsin residents in 2016–2017. There were 80 pregnancy-associated deaths that occurred during or within one year of pregnancy in 2016–2017, and 41% of those deaths were pregnancy-related.

Key findings include:

  • 97% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
  • 73% of pregnancy-related deaths occurred in the postpartum period.
  • Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic mothers were overrepresented in pregnancy-related deaths.
  • Mental Health Conditions contributed or likely contributed to 67% of pregnancy-related deaths.
  • 48% of all pregnancy-related deaths were due to an overdose.

You can read more about the findings in the 2016-2017 Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Report.

This project was supported by the Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE-MM) grant, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the HRSA Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant.