Newsroom

The Nebraska Department of Health and Services released the Maternal Mortality Review Committee Report for 2017-2021 this month. From 2017-2021, 50 Nebraska women died while pregnant or within one year after the end of pregnancy. Non-Hispanic Black women in Nebraska experienced the highest pregnancy-associated mortality ratio (PAMR), with 110.2 deaths per 100,000 live births, representing 7.5% of total live births but 20% of pregnancy-associated deaths. Twenty-eight percent of maternal deaths were due to a pregnancy complication, 93% of which were found to be preventable.

This month, the Nebraska Department of Health and Services released the Child Death Review Annual Report for 2021. In 2021, at least 122 children died before turning one, an infant mortality rate (IMR) of 5.2 deaths per 1,000 live births. Significant disparities exist in IMR for African American infants compared to White infants, 11.6 vs 5 per 1,000 live births. The top three causes of infant deaths in 2021 were Perinatal Conditions, Congenital Anomalies, and Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID).

On November 16th, the March of Dimes released the 2023 Prematurity Report Card for the United States and Nebraska. The U.S. received a D+ and Nebraska fell to a D- (D). The preterm birth rate in Nebraska climbed to 11.3% (10.8), the highest it has been in the last 10 years. Significant disparities continue to exist for Black and Indigenous Groups.

JOIN US. Friday, Sept. 29th | 7:45 a.m. – 4:34 p.m.

The 2023 NPQIC Fall Summit "Upstream Solutions to Maternal Health Equity" will provide a foundational understanding of the current Black maternal health crisis and the landscape of Black maternal health in Nebraska. Sessions will equip healthcare teams with the most up-to-date practices around severe maternal morbidities, trauma-informed care, and chronic conditions and substance use in pregnancy. Providing evidence-based and equitable care to marginalized populations is critical for improving pregnancy health outcomes in NE.