State Comparison (D.C.)

State Comparison

The District of Columbia's maternal mortality rate rivals the national average, while also having severe disparities across race. According to the District's Racial Equity Dashboard, it has 43 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. While black women in the district have a ratio of 79 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Black women encompass 84% of maternal deaths in D.C.1 Most of the maternal deaths occur in wards 7 and 8, which are majority black wards. Additionally, in 2019, 21.6% of Black D.C. residents were below the federal poverty line, compared to 5.1% of whites. There is only one major hospital serving wards 7 and 8 in D.C. compared to two in Ward 2, a majority white ward. These disparities intersect to impact the high rate of maternal mortality overall in D.C. and especially among Black people.

References

https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/ama-committed-reversing-maternal-mortality-crisis

Mukkamala, Bobby. 2025. The AMA is committed to reversing the maternal mortality crisis. The American Medical Association.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105871

GAO. 2022. Maternal Health: Outcomes Worsened and Disparities Persisted During the Pandemic. The GAO.