
Texas Has the Highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the Developed World. Why? - Mz
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-has-highest-maternal-mortality-rate-developed-world-why-n791671
======
paulddraper
I've seen this story reported roughly a bajillion times, with very little
context.

(1) The study chose to adjust official numbers for Texas (and other states)
rates because death certificates didn't inquire about pregnancy for a full
year previous to death. This isn't necessarily wrong, but it is a guess.

(2) There were 15-20 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in Texas each
year 2000-2010. Then the rate almost doubled by 2012. [1] Something very
interesting (whether in methodology or reality) happened in that time, but
most news outlets just want to tell the narrative without the details.

(3) Texas has 400k births per year. [2] Twenty deaths per 100k births is 80
deaths. Statistically, p=0.05 is going to give you something like +-50% on
that number. Do this for fifty states, and you've got some serious reporting
bias.

(4) But even using the adjusted numbers for Texas, this is 1% of 1% for cause
of death. My wife gives birth next month (in the U.S., not in Texas); I'm
nervous about it. But there's a lot of other things to worry about.

[1]
[http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2017/jun/29/shawn...](http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2017/jun/29/shawn-
thierry/shawn-thierry-says-texas-leads-nation-mothers-dyin/)

[2]
[https://www.dshs.texas.gov/chs/vstat/vs14/t09.aspx](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/chs/vstat/vs14/t09.aspx)

------
taxicabjesus
I think the main problem is the medical guild exterminated midwifery in the
early 20th century and "medicalized" women's normal pregnancy experiences.
Doctors are doing better taking care of pregnant women in the modern era (more
female doctors, etc), but I think they're still 'missing the forest for the
trees'.

This was my comment on this general topic from a month ago:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14708472](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14708472)

~~~
Neliquat
While I agree that midwivery was given an unfair shake, it does not seem to
account for the age distribution of deaths represented here. Or am I missing
some way midwivery may change outcomes over that long a time...

------
Moshe_Silnorin
Violence is never the answer, statistics is.

