2023 Edition – Quality of Care: Maternal Health and Childbirth

The measurement and reporting of healthcare quality outcomes has grown significantly over the past few decades. As healthcare evolves, it is important to continue to monitor and report on the quality of care provided to patients in California and across the United States. This set of quality measures is part of a series published by CHCF on quality of care in the state. Topics range from maternity to end-of-life care, including measures on behavioral health, chronic conditions and providers.

This set of quality measures focuses on maternal health and childbirth.

American Indian and Alaska Native babies and black babies are more likely to be born prematurely than babies of other races/ethnicities.

In 2020, about one in eight American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) and Black babies were born prematurely. Nearly one in eight black babies are born underweight. Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight are at increased risk of developing lifelong health problems or dying before their first birthday.

Infant mortality rates vary by race/ethnicity.

Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and AIAN infants had higher mortality rates than infants of other races/ethnicities in 2019. Only Asian, white and multiracial infant mortality rates fell below the Let’s Get Healthy California goal of 4.0 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Pregnancy-related mortality was higher among black births compared with births of other races/ethnicities.

From 2017 to 2019, Black deliveries were three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than deliveries of other races/ethnicities.

About 1 in 5 black deliveries reported antepartum and postpartum depressive symptoms.

Between 2018 and 2020, about one in seven deliveries in California reported antepartum depressive symptoms, and about one in eight reported postpartum depressive symptoms. Black deliveries were more likely to report antepartum and postpartum depressive symptoms/race than deliveries of other races. Antepartum and postpartum depression can negatively affect both the laborer and the child.

The accompanying Excel data file can be downloaded below. These materials are part of CHCF’s California Healthcare Almanac, an online clearinghouse for key data and analysis describing the state of healthcare in the state. View our entire collection of current and past editions of Quality of Care.