KQED Radio: Pregnancy-Related Deaths on the Rise?

Points to call out:

This was a breaking story that uncovers a study held at the state level which is not being released. The word cover-up was mentioned.

Maternal death rates have tripled in California over the last 10 years study finds.

Cesareans are one of the big reasons for this increase.

OBs not telling patients about the real risk of cesareans. For example, repeat cesareans are not as safe as vaginal birth but vaginal births after cesareans are being banned around the country.

CPMC seems to want to only increase technology to avoid hemorrhages, prevention of blood clots from prolong bed rest, cardiovascular problems but Elliot Main, chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the California Pacific Medical Center, doesn't mention pulling back on the cesareans performed or other interventions.

Death certificates now have a check box since 2003 to indicate if the deceaced was pregnant within a year or her death.

Better reporting may have contributed to a 30% increase that just wasn't reported before but that still leaves the other 70%.

African women across all economic levels are 4% more likely to die during childbirth. Why? No one knows.

Obesity is a new and added risk to pregnancy and labor.

Maternal Death Rate in California is the same as US.

CDC cautious to release numbers. Yeah! because it's a HUGE public health issue that no one is dealing with.

when you pass 15% cesarean rate things start going south.

Aaron Caughey, associate professor at UCSF and director of the Center for Clinical and Policy Perinatal Research within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology says that we need to improve care of women in labor. YEAH!!!

Young healthy women are dying, people around the death call it a death before its time, the only reason why these women are dying is because they had a cesarean.

There's a lot of people who get hurt that don't die...that's me.

Dr. Aaron Caughey says that women pregnant now should spend early labor at home! stay healthy during pregnancy, a lot about taking care yourself

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