Pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. have been on the rise over the past 30 years. Lawmakers in Washington state are concerned that maternal deaths have gone unchecked in recent years. In Washington, the rate of women dying is 12 moms for every 100,000 live births.
Experts say up to 60 percent of those deaths are preventable. For that reason, state legislators want to reinstate a review panel of doctors to take a closer look at each case.
Dr. Jane Dimer is an obstetrician-gynecologist. She spoke during a Senate committee meeting, and says Washington previously had such a panel, but it was defunded during the recession.
“Last time we talked about the data and the cases, it was to review 2009 data, and so we are long overdue for a look at what is going on in Washington state,” she said.
The committee would look at all maternal deaths, including cases where women die within a year of childbirth. Dimer says they need to get back to work and look at complications like pregnancy-related hypertension. But the panel will also go beyond that, reviewing cases that involve depression and domestic violence.
