Dying in childbirth is hidden risk in Tennessee

Dying in childbirth is hidden risk in Tennessee
Amnesty group says state doesn't track, focus on issue of maternal mortality
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100412/NEWS01/4120337/-1/NLETTER01?source=nletter-news
BY CHRISTINA E. SANCHEZ • THE TENNESSEAN • APRIL 12, 2010

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But Tennessee isn't doing enough to gain that insight, says Amnesty International. Women here die in childbirth at a rate exceeded in only 12 other states, the group says, and at least half of the deaths are preventable.

The advocacy group criticized Tennessee for not having a way to accurately track maternal childbirth deaths and for not creating a board to review the deaths. Also, Tennessee death certificates don't indicate a mother died from pregnancy-related complications.

Amnesty's report, "Deadly Delivery," says U.S. women have a higher risk of dying than women in 40 other countries, and the problem is ignored.

"The perception is that maternal mortality is not an issue, not only in the United States but worldwide," said Dr. Cornelia Graves, a high-risk obstetrician-gynecologist at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. "We need to recognize this as an issue and start focusing on both the baby and the mother."

About 11.7 women died for every 100,000 deliveries in Tennessee from 1999 to 2004, the Amnesty report said. Graves believes if Tennessee tracked its maternal deaths, the state would probably learn that fatalities are much higher.

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"But Tennessee isn't doing enough to gain that insight, says Amnesty International. Women here die in childbirth at a rate exceeded in only 12 other states, the group says, and at least half of the deaths are preventable.

The advocacy group criticized Tennessee for not having a way to accurately track maternal childbirth deaths and for not creating a board to review the deaths. Also, Tennessee death certificates don't indicate a mother died from pregnancy-related complications.

Amnesty's report, "Deadly Delivery," says U.S. women have a higher risk of dying than women in 40 other countries, and the problem is ignored.

...

About 11.7 women died for every 100,000 deliveries in Tennessee from 1999 to 2004, the Amnesty report said. Graves believes if Tennessee tracked its maternal deaths, the state would probably learn that fatalities are much higher.

Tennessee Right to Life and its TNGA GOPer lackeys don't want pregnant women in Tennessee to have access to this health information.