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South Dakota Department of Health
South Dakota Department of Health

Health Data & Reports

Maternal Mortality

Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or one year postpartum. A mother’s death is tragic and can have lasting emotional, social, and economic consequences for her family and community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 700 women die each year in the United States due to pregnancy or delivery complications.

Maternal Mortality Definitions

Pregnancy Associated Death GraphicPregnancy-associated death: The death of a woman while pregnant or within one year of the termination of pregnancy, regardless of the cause. This makes up the universe of maternal mortality. Within that universe are pregnancy-related deaths and pregnancy-associated, but not related deaths.

Pregnancy-associated, but not related death: The death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy, from a cause that is not related to pregnancy.

Pregnancy-related death: The death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy, from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy.

South Dakota Statistics

South Dakota uses vital statistics data to examine the occurrence of maternal mortality in the state. The death certificates of women who died during pregnancy, childbirth, and one year postpartum are reviewed and linked to fetal birth and death certificates when possible.

Number of Pregnancy-Associated Deaths in South Dakota from 2012-2021

 

Percent of Pregnancy-Associated Deaths by Race, 2012-2021

 

Maternal Mortality Reports

South Dakota Mortality Report, 2023-2024 (Provisional)

South Dakota resident deaths and leading causes of death by month.

April 9, 2024 | Mortality | Maternal Mortality | Infant Mortality | Causes of Death | Health Disparities | Vital Reports

PRAMS Data Report, 2021

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a CDC surveillance system that surveys South Dakota mothers about attitudes, behaviors, and circumstances before, during, and after pregnancy. The data covers a variety of topics including prenatal care, infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, and more.

February 2, 2024 | Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) | Maternal Child Health | Maternal Mortality | Infant Mortality | Reproductive Health | Women's Health

Vital Statistics Report, 2022

This report contains state and county leading health indicators for vital statistics. The report is divided into eight main sections: Overview, Natality, Infant Mortality, Mortality, Marriage and Divorce, Infectious Disease, and Health Status Profiles.

January 17, 2024 | Vital Statistics | Vital Reports | Infectious Disease | Maternal Mortality | Mortality | Natality | Marriage and Divorce | County Data & Maps | Communicable & Infectious Diseases

Maternal Mortality 1-Pager, 2023

South Dakota is taking significant steps to address maternal mortality and improve pregnancy outcomes. In 2021, the Department of Health established the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC), which meets regularly to examine pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. Thanks to the MMRC’s insights, our Maternal Child Health team, working closely with Maternal Mortality in South Dakota Map created by the Office of Child and Family Services Community Health Nurses, has implemented several vital interventions. These include increasing post-partum visits for pregnancy care clients and providing depression screenings for pregnant and post-partum individuals.

January 5, 2024 | Maternal Child Health | Maternal Mortality
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The South Dakota Department of Health's Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) is a multidisciplinary expert panel with representation from public health, nursing, maternal and fetal medicine, mental health, substance use, pathology, obstetrics/gynecology, and social work.

The South Dakota MMRC reviews all deaths of South Dakota residents that occur while pregnant or within one year of the end of pregnancy. The MMRC determines pregnancy-relatedness, preventability, and contributing factors to the death. The MMRC develops recommendations based on these factors to improve policies and practices and reduce preventable maternal deaths in South Dakota.

The South Dakota MMRC began reviewing cases in October 2021 and reviewed 20 cases in its first year. These deaths occurred from 2018-2021. SD MMRC committee members are listed below.

  • Dr. Mary Carpenter, South Dakota Department of Health, Chair
  • Christine Catts, South Dakota Department of Health, Case Abstractor
  • Katelyn Strasser, South Dakota Department of Health, Epidemiologist
  • Dr. Ashley Briggs, Sanford Health
  • Dr. Rochelle Christensen, Rapid City Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Dr. Mark Ballard, Ballard Gynecology
  • Michaela Seiber, South Dakota Urban Indian Health
  • Kamela Johnson, Monument Health
  • Dr. Kimberlee McKay, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
  • Dr. Rachel Rodel, Sanford Health
  • Dori Vojta, Mobridge Regional Hospital and Clinic
  • Randee Peterson, South Dakota Department of Social Services
  • Jennifer Folliard, Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas
  • Leslie Krump, South Dakota Department of Health
  • Dr. Sara Flynn, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
  • Dr. Kenneth Snell, Sanford Health
  • Dr. Meghan O'Connell, Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board

Resources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Maternal Mortality. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/index.html

  2. South Dakota Vital Statistics. (2021). Maternal mortality. Unpublished raw data.