LANSING, Mich. — According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the maternal death rate in 2021 was the highest since 1964.
Now, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched a new website to prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Hear Her Michigan gives information on urgent maternal health warning signs and resources.
In Michigan, there are 80 to 90 maternal deaths every year. Dawn Shanafelt, the director of the Division of Maternal and Infant Health says 60% of those are preventable.
"Across the country, and in the state of Michigan, we've seen increasing challenges when it comes to maternal morbidity and mortality," said Shanafelt, "And those challenges are oftentimes preventable."
Pregnancy-related deaths include both the death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year after giving birth.
"It's a critical time after you deliver a baby," said Shanafelt, "Sometimes the focus, personally and societally, is on the infant. But we need to really be cognizant and supportive and aware of the individual that just had a baby."
Warning signs include:
- Headache that won’t go away or gets worse over time.
- Dizziness or fainting.
- Thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby.
- Changes in vision.
- Fever.
- Trouble breathing.
- Chest pain or fast-beating heart.
- Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away.
- Severe nausea and throwing up (not like morning sickness).
- Baby’s movements stopping or slowing.
- Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during or after pregnancy.
- Swelling, redness or pain in legs.
- Extreme swelling of hands or face.
- Overwhelming tiredness.
"The name of the website is indicative of the fact that we need to listen to women, so they can tell when something is wrong with them," said Shanafelt, "They are the experts of themselves they know when something feels out of sorts, or it's not their typical tiredness or their typical leg swelling, it's something different. That's why it's really, really important for not only individuals to be aware of this, but then also to verbalize that to providers so that they know that these are symptoms that are being experienced. It could potentially save a life."
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