CDC disputes study on U.S. maternal death rate

Mar 15, 2024

Presented by 340B Health

With Carmen Paun

Driving the Day

A woman's hands on her pregnant belly.

A new study suggests that the CDC isn't properly recording maternal deaths, resulting in inaccurate statistics — an accusation that the agency denies. | Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images

CDC PUSHBACK — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Pulse on Thursday it disagrees with the findings of a recent report that the agency has overstated maternal death numbers.

Why it matters: The agency’s annual publication of skyrocketing maternal death rates has alarmed lawmakers and public health officials for years. In 2021, the agency reported that 1,205 women in the U.S. died of maternal-related causes, up from 861 in 2020.

But the study, published Wednesday in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, said the methodology the CDC uses to count how many people die annually from pregnancy-related causes is flawed, leading to an inflated rate.

Researchers behind the study used a different method to count maternal deaths, finding a much lower, more stable rate over the past several years.

In a statement to Pulse, the CDC said the methods used by researchers “produce a substantial undercount” by missing certain maternal deaths that wouldn’t have been counted unless a box indicating that the deceased was pregnant hadn’t been checked on their death certificate.

“Capturing these otherwise unrecorded maternal deaths is critical to understanding the scope of maternal mortality in the United States and taking effective public health action to prevent these deaths. The recent report’s analysis does not address this, nor does it provide evidence of how large any potential overcount may be,” the agency said.

The CDC also took issue with the study’s examples of overcounted deaths, including a suggestion made by one study author in a Rutgers University press release that a pregnant woman who dies in a car crash might be counted as a maternal death. The agency said she wouldn’t be counted under its methodology.

However, the CDC acknowledged that the study was on par with a 2018 CDC report that found the use of checkboxes to indicate that the deceased was pregnant led to an overcount of maternal deaths for certain age groups.

The study also vexed the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which called it an “incomplete” picture of maternal death in the U.S. on Wednesday.

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In Congress

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., speaks during a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Washington.

After speaking with the UnitedHealth Group's CEO, Sen. Maggie Hassan was able to secure aid commitments from the company for New Hampshire after a massive cyberattack. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo

CASH AID FOR HACKED STATE PROVIDERS — Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) met Thursday with the CEO of UnitedHealth Group and said she’s secured “new commitments” to give cash aid to providers in her home state impacted by a massive cyberattack.

At a Senate Finance Committee hearing Thursday, Hassan told HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, who was on Capitol Hill to discuss the proposed fiscal 2025 budget, that she met with CEO Andrew Witty.

“Mr. Witty and I had what I would call a constructive conversation this morning,” she said. “UnitedHealth Group has made new commitments to provide cash aid today to the providers in my state who need it, without any unfair or risky terms.”

UnitedHealth owns Change Healthcare, which handles billions of medical bills annually. The company was hit by a cyberattack in February, delaying payments to providers. Following the attack, UnitedHealth created a temporary aid program for impacted providers, but Hassan criticized it earlier this week for being inadequate. Lawmakers, officials and providers have called on the company to move faster to get payments out the door. HHS also said it would consider accelerated Medicare payments for some providers.

Becerra, who earlier this week urged UnitedHealth to take more responsibility for the attack, said HHS would meet Friday with payers impacted by the attack.

HHS on cannabis: At the hearing, Becerra also defended the FDA's review of cannabis science and its recommendation to loosen federal marijuana restrictions, POLITICO’s Natalie Fertig reports.

“There has been a lot of science that’s been collected over the years on cannabis,” Becerra said during the hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. “We have far more information now.”

NEXT WEEK ON THE HILL — HHS Secretary Becerra will continue his tour to discuss the HHS proposed fiscal 2025 budget, visiting the House Appropriations’ health subcommittee and the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

— Also on Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on reproductive health care.

— On Thursday, the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on several bills, including one to research the use of medical cannabis for veterans.

BIO’S BACKTRACK ON CHINESE BIOTECH RESTRICTIONS — The Biotechnology Innovation Organization flip-flopped on a bill restricting Chinese biotech companies from accessing U.S. funding, which Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, applauded Thursday, Carmen reports.

The lobby group said Wednesday it would cut ties with Chinese member company WuXi AppTec and back legislation to ban it and similar companies from inking U.S. federal contracts, in an about-face from the group’s earlier position against the bill.

The Gallagher legislation would prohibit federal agencies from obtaining equipment from Chinese companies BGI, MGI, Complete Genomics and WuXi AppTec. The bill would also prohibit federal contracts with these companies.

“I applaud Mr. Crowley and BIO's commitment to the BIOSECURE Act and its recognition of the threat that CCP-backed companies like WuXi AppTec pose to America’s biotechnology industry,” Gallagher said in a statement, referring to BIO’s CEO.

WuXi AppTec has rejected the accusation, saying it upheld “the highest intellectual property, data and privacy protection standards” and doesn’t pose a national security threat to any country.

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Public Health

MIS-C IMPACTS UNVAXXED KIDS — A rare, but serious, infection seen in children following a Covid-19 infection saw a small spike last fall as cases of the virus rose, particularly among unvaccinated children, according to the CDC.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, can cause inflammation of a child’s different body parts, including their hearts and brains. The condition was highest among children who had Covid from late 2020 through early 2021, but incidences have since decreased.

Of the 117 patients reported with MIS-C in 2023, more than 80 percent were vaccine-eligible but unvaccinated, according to a report out Thursday. Among the vaccinated patients, 60 percent likely had waned immunity to Covid by the time they developed MIS-C. About half of all patients with MIS-C required a stay in the ICU, and three patients died.

According to the agency, MIS-C cases are likely undercounted due to underreporting.

“COVID-19 vaccination remains an important tool for preventing MIS-C,” the CDC said in a statement.

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Names in the News

Gabriela Sibori is joining the National Association of Broadcasters as senior communications director. She leaves HHS, where she was an adviser.

JDRF, a diabetes research and advocacy organization based in New York, has appointed Lisa Fishbone Wallack and Matt Varey to head its International Board of Directors.

DON’T MISS AN IMPORTANT TALK ON ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN CA: Join POLITICO on March 19 to dive into the challenges of affordable prescription drugs accessibility across the state. While Washington continues to debate legislative action, POLITICO will explore the challenges unique to California, along with the potential pitfalls and solutions the CA Legislature must examine to address prescription drug affordability for its constituents. REGISTER HERE.

WHAT WE'RE READING

The Washington Post reports on people who want psychedelic drugs that could help with PTSD legalized in the U.S.

ABC News reports on why there have been measles outbreaks in the U.S.

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