Watch CBS News

Ohio Report Finds Many Pregnancy-Related Deaths Preventable

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Department of Health says nearly 200 women died from pregnancy-related causes over a recent eight-year period and many of their deaths were preventable.

A report the department issued Friday identified 186 pregnancy-related deaths between 2008 and 2016, a ratio of 14.7 per 100,000 live births. Black women were more than 2.5 times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related condition than white women.

The leading underlying causes were heart conditions, infections, severe bleeding and pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

Data showed 57% of the deaths from 2012 to 2016 could have been prevented. The state says it's received $12 million in federal grants that it plans to direct to support its maternal mortality prevention efforts.

Ohio's pregnancy-related mortality ratio is significantly lower than the U.S. ratio.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.