AUSTIN (KXAN) — A report on maternal mortality data in Texas was released Thursday after a months-long delay. The report studied cases of pregnancy-related deaths in Texas and factors that affect the most at-risk populations in the state.
Among the findings in the report, obstetric hemorrhage was the leading cause of pregnancy-related death, followed by mental health conditions. The findings linked multiple causes of death, including obesity, discrimination, and substance use.
The report found most pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
The report details several recommendations to help women. The first is that Texas expands access to comprehensive health services for women before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and a year after birth.
Another recommendation takes aim at racial disparities.
The report was supposed to be released in September, as required by state law. However, the State Department of Health Services delayed the release of the report to allow for a more detailed review of the data.
Some lawmakers and activists hope something will be passed in the next legislative session to streamline this review process. The DSHS media relations director, Chris Van Deusen, said that reviewing these cases is more difficult in Texas than in any other state he knows.
This has to do with strict requirements surrounding redacting patient or medical provider information on medical documents before they can be reviewed and investigated.
