Although it's rare for U.S. women to die of complications in pregnancy, a study by the Centers for Disease Control shows that such deaths are increasing in this country.
Researchers found that between 1998 and 2005, the national pregnancy-related mortality rate was 14.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. In 1986, the rate fell to a low of 7.4 per 100,000 before experiencing a gradual rise. (A pregnancy-related death is considered any death occurring during, or within a year after pregnancy, that is caused by a complication of pregnancy.)
The study doesn't identify a precise cause for the increase in these maternal deaths. But it notes that in recent years more women of child-bearing age are dealing with obesity and chronic health issues such as hypertension and diabetes.
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(c) 2010, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.). Distributed by Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.