Understanding Georgia’s maternal mortality crisis
By Kate Bergquist
With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, Georgia faces a critical public health challenge. By examining healthcare access, racial disparities, and care quality, we can build grounded, local solutions to ensure safe pregnancies for all mothers across the state.
Georgia’s maternal mortality rate stands at a staggering 30.4 to 37.9 deaths per 100,000 live births—far above the national average of 7.1. Alarmingly, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) estimates that 87% of these cases are preventable.
While political discussions often focus broadly on healthcare costs and Medicaid, addressing this specific crisis requires dismantling four structural barriers: access to care, racial disparities, chronic health conditions, and systemic gaps in healthcare quality.
Healthcare access problems
Geography heavily dictates maternal outcomes in Georgia. Over 2 million women of childbearing age live in "maternity care deserts"—areas lacking obstetric hospitals or providers. Hospital closures, such as St. Mary’s Sacred Heart in Lavonia, force expecting mothers into dangerous situations.
- 13.5 miles: Average travel distance to a hospital for obstetric care.
- 66% of counties lack an obstetric hospital.
- 43% of counties lack an obstetric provider.
- Mothers in care deserts travel 3x farther for care.
Longer travel times lead to fewer prenatal visits and critically delayed emergency care for high-risk pregnancies.
Racial disparities
The maternal mortality burden is disproportionately felt by expecting Black mothers, who are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women in Georgia.
These disparities are deeply rooted in economic and geographic inequities, manifesting in a cycle of poverty that directly impacts health outcomes.
| Demographic | Poverty rate | Low birth weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 19% | 14.0% |
| White | 8% | 7.6% |
Chronic health conditions
Rising rates of chronic conditions make pregnancies inherently riskier. Nearly 19% of adults in Georgia report fair or poor health.
Entering pregnancy with conditions like hypertension or diabetes exponentially increases complication risks. Chronic hypertension—highly prevalent in the Southeast—can quickly escalate to preeclampsia or stroke. Targeted health programs are vital to manage these underlying challenges before and during pregnancy.
Systemic gaps in care
Physical access to a hospital does not guarantee safe outcomes. Care quality varies significantly even within the same facilities.
Research shows that differences in hospital-level care processes explain the largest portion of the racial gap in severe maternal morbidity. Preventable deaths are frequently caused by critical delays in care and failures to recognize or respond to complications.
Legislative action
While legislation like HB 649—aimed at covering comprehensive maternal mental health screenings—shows bipartisan potential, it ultimately failed to pass. Much of the push for maternal health policy is championed by women, yet they hold only 36.7% of seats in the Georgia House. Increasing representation of elected officials with firsthand experience in maternal care could be pivotal in advancing life-saving reproductive and childcare policies.
Conclusion
Georgia’s maternal mortality crisis is not the result of a single failure, but a culmination of interconnected systemic issues. The most actionable takeaway is that the vast majority of these tragedies can be prevented through timely intervention and stronger infrastructure.
We’re working alongside local leaders to strengthen care in every ZIP code. By prioritizing policies that expand access, reduce inequities, and elevate the quality of care, we can ensure that geography and economics no longer determine a mother's chance of surviving pregnancy.