LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — The state of Washington was awarded $375,000 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat maternal mortality.
The grant was authorized under legislation from Southwest Washington Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler.
Twenty-four other states also receive different levels of grant funds.
Maternal mortality basically is when a mother dies during pregnancy, childbirth, or within a year afterward.
Beutler says the country’s maternal death rate has reached a crisis level. Clallam County Health Officer Allison Berry-Unthank agrees it’s a worsening problem, but not necessarily here in our county.
“So maternal mortality really is increasing nationwide. So back in the 80’s, the rate was about seven maternal deaths per 100,000 births. And then in the last 30 years it’s more than doubled to 17. Luckily in Washington are rates actually haven’t increased to that same level. So Washington rates are much more stable at about nine per hundred thousand, but you know any death of an otherwise healthy young woman is not normal and concerning. Interestingly, looking at the causes of death in Washington state, the number one cause of maternal mortality is actually unintentional injury, which includes things like drug overdoses and car accidents.”
Beutler says she’s pleased to see the CDC award its first round of critical grant funding to allow her Preventing Maternal Deaths Act to take effect in Washington communities.
Photo: Congresswoman Herrera-Buetler