Monday, June 05, 2017

Texas had achieved the highest mortality rate of maternal deaths in the developed world.

20 August 2016
By Dianne Depra

Researchers (click here) have discovered that maternal deaths have nearly doubled in Texas, but data also showed that the problem is prevalent across the United States.

In a study to be published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, researchers report that 148 women in Texas died in 2012 due to pregnancy-related causes, up from 2010's 72 deaths. Additionally, the overall maternal death rate in the state jumped from 18 deaths for every 100,000 births in 2006 to 36 for every 100,000 births in 2014.

"It's a tragedy and it really is an embarrassment. This is a problem we should be able to address and fix," said Dr. Daniel Grossman from the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Policy Evaluation Project.

While the rise in maternal deaths in Texas coincided with the state slashing its family planning budget, researchers did not identify that as the cause for the spike. Actually, no one is sure why the problem is as prevalent as it is.

arah Wheat, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas spokesperson, has pointed out that family planning clinics are entry points for women accessing the health care system. With family planning clinics closed because of the budget cuts, women may be delayed in receiving the care they and their baby need to thrive....

Further analysis of the study related deaths due to lack of health care access and insurance. African Americans are disproportionately impoverished.

5 June 2017
By Alexandra Lozovschi

...In addition, (click here) the 2016 study uncovered black women are disproportionately affected, being more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth. Although this ethnic group accounts for only 11 percent of births, black mothers make up 28 percent of pregnancy-linked fatalities.

These findings are consistent with a Vox analysis of the data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The investigation, conducted in the same year, underlined the U.S. maternal death rate doubled since 1987, while decreasing in majority of other countries.

The 2016 Vox analysis also stated black mothers have a triple risk of dying during childbirth compared with white mothers....

"Poverty Rate by Race and Ethnicity" (click here) (Time frame 2015)

White - 9 %
Black - 24%
Hispanic - 21%
Other - 14%

Other includes Asians, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Aleutians, Eskimos and persons of "Two or More Races". These groups have been combined due to their small populations in many states which prevent meaningful statistical analyses of the groups individually.

US Total 14% poverty rate.

Governance, real governance, looks at the entire picture of government policy and decides where changes can realistically be made and does so to improve the outcome of the people while in respect to tax rates, etc.

Texas rejected the Medicaid Expansion which would have provided the state with over $100 billion in federal monies over the next 10 years. Texas' rejection of help through the Medicaid expansion is obvious.

White - 8%
Black - 23%
Hispanic - 21%
Other - 14%
Overall - 15%