Let's Talk About It with Jenny/Why deaths soared among Black and Hispanic women?

Maternal deaths soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly among Black and Hispanic women, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open on Tuesday, underscoringthe vast inequalities that worsened during the crisis and the unique health issues the virus posed to pregnant people.

Key facts: the number of maternal deaths in the U.S. jumped by a third (33%) after March 2020-roughly the start of the Covid-19 pandemic-compared to the two years before, according to an analysis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics.

This disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic women, the researchers found, where deaths respectively increased by 40% and 74%.

Among direct causes, which increased nearly 28%, records noting diabetes during pregnancy almost doubled (96%), while those noting blood pressure disorders and other pregnancy related conditions each increased by 39% and 48%.