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Maternal Mortality in Wisconsin
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Wisconsin Value:

13.2

Number of deaths related to or aggravated by pregnancy (excluding accidental or incidental causes) occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births (5-year estimate)

Wisconsin Rank:

3

Maternal Mortality in depth:

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Maternal Mortality by State

Number of deaths related to or aggravated by pregnancy (excluding accidental or incidental causes) occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births (5-year estimate)

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Data from Federally Available Data, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2018-2022

<= 16.6

16.7 - 21.3

21.4 - 25.1

25.2 - 30.9

>= 31.0

No Data

• Data Unavailable
Top StatesRankValue
Bottom StatesRankValue
4137.3
4238.3
4338.6
4541.1

Maternal Mortality

415.5
Hawaii
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[14]
716.1
916.6
1218.1
1318.2
1419.1
1519.5
1620.0
1720.4
1821.3
1921.6
2022.4
2122.8
2223.8
2424.1
2524.5
Alaska
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[14]
2624.9
2725.1
3128.1
3228.2
3329.6
3430.0
3530.5
3630.9
3732.1
3932.7
4034.6
4137.3
4238.3
4338.6
4541.1
Data Unavailable
[14] Interpret with caution. May not be reliable.[1] Data is not available
Source:
  • Federally Available Data, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2018-2022

Maternal Mortality Trends

Number of deaths related to or aggravated by pregnancy (excluding accidental or incidental causes) occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births (5-year estimate)

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About Maternal Mortality

US Value: 23.2

Top State(s): California: 10.5

Bottom State(s): Tennessee: 41.1

Definition: Number of deaths related to or aggravated by pregnancy (excluding accidental or incidental causes) occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births (5-year estimate)

Data Source and Years(s): Federally Available Data, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2018-2022

Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of Federally Available Data, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal mortality as “female deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes) during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy.” The United States consistently has the highest rate of maternal mortality among high-income countries.

In addition to maternal mortality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors pregnancy-related mortality at the national level. Their surveillance tracks an expanded measure of maternal mortality through a period of within one year of the end of pregnancy and conducts thorough reviews of each death. The leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are cardiovascular diseases, infection or sepsis (including COVID-19), hemorrhage (excessive bleeding) and hypertensive disorders (high blood pressure). According to the CDC, cardiovascular conditions account for more than one-third of pregnancy-related deaths. Complications with cesarean deliveries also play a role in maternal mortality. Additionally, a significant amount of pregnancy-related deaths are attributable to mental health conditions

The maternal mortality rate is higher among: 

  • Black women compared with white, Hispanic and Asian women.
  • Women age 40 and older, who have a maternal mortality rate six times that of mothers under 25.
  • Women living in rural areas compared with those who live in urban areas. Hospital closures in rural areas have decreased access to services such as obstetrics, further contributing to difficulties in maternal care.

According to the WHO, the majority of maternal deaths resulting from pregnancy-related complications are preventable. Approaches to reducing and preventing maternal mortality include:

  • Focusing on preconception health: A healthy pregnancy begins before conception. Improving women’s health by preventing and treating chronic disease may result in healthier pregnancies with fewer complications.
  • Collaborating with midwives and doulas: A study found that incorporating midwives as part of the care team during pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum recovery is associated with better maternal health outcomes. Areas without nearby hospital services, in particular, may benefit from midwifery care. 
  • Improving medical care: Improvements to hospital protocol and patient safety tools have effectively reduced maternal mortality. In one study, a collaborative hospital quality improvement program reduced severe maternal morbidity from hemorrhage. Systems to detect early warning signs during prenatal visits may prevent delays in diagnosing and treating conditions that lead to maternal death. The Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health program offers quality improvement toolkits, maternal early warning system training and other resources to support and guide quality improvement efforts in health care facilities. 
  • Implementing Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs): These committees, composed of various medical professionals, are tasked with identifying and investigating maternal deaths. They attempt to determine the preventability of maternal deaths and recommend focused approaches to prevent future deaths and reduce disparities in maternal mortality. Nearly all U.S. states have standardized MMRCs, and many have established legislation requiring reviews of maternal deaths.

Reducing the maternal mortality rate is a leading health indicator for Healthy People 2030.

Benedetto, Chiara, Fulvio Borella, Hema Divakar, Sarah L. O’Riordan, Martina Mazzoli, Mark Hanson, Sharleen O’Reilly, Bo Jacobsson, Jeanne A. Conry, and Fionnuala M. McAuliffe. “FIGO Preconception Checklist: Preconception Care for Mother and Baby.” International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 165, no. 1 (March 1, 2024): 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.15446.

D’Oria, Robyn, Karin Downs, and Karen Trierweiler. “Report from MMRCs: A View into Their Critical Role.” Building U.S. Capacity to Review and Prevent Maternal Deaths, 2017. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/MMRIAReport.pdf.

Ford, Nicole D., Shanna Cox, Jean Y. Ko, Lijing Ouyang, Lisa Romero, Tiffany Colarusso, Cynthia D. Ferre, Charlan D. Kroelinger, Donald K. Hayes, and Wanda D. Barfield. “Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy and Mortality at Delivery Hospitalization — United States, 2017–2019.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 71, no. 17 (April 29, 2022): 585–91. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7117a1.

Gunja, Munira Z., Shanoor Seervai, Laurie C. Zephyrin, and Reginald D. II Williams. “Health and Health Care for Women of Reproductive Age: How the United States Compares with Other High-Income Countries.” Issue Brief. The Commonwealth Fund, April 5, 2022. https://doi.org/10.26099/4pph-j894.

Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2022.” NCHS Health E-Stats. National Center for Health Statistics, May 2, 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/152992.

Joseph, K. S., Sarka Lisonkova, Amélie Boutin, Giulia M. Muraca, Neda Razaz, Sid John, Yasser Sabr, et al. “Maternal Mortality in the United States: Are the High and Rising Rates Due to Changes in Obstetrical Factors, Maternal Medical Conditions, or Maternal Mortality Surveillance?” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 230, no. 4 (March 12, 2024): 440, e1-440.e13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2023.12.038.

Keating, Kim, David Murphey, Sarah Daily, Renee Ryberg, and Jessie Laurore. “Maternal and Child Health Inequities Emerge Even Before Birth.” The State of Babies Yearbook: 2020. ZERO TO THREE, 2020. https://stateofbabies.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Maternal-and-Child-Health-Inequities-Emerge-Even-Before-Birth.pdf.

Kozhimannil, Katy Backes, Julia D. Interrante, Carrie Henning-Smith, and Lindsay K. Admon. “Rural-Urban Differences In Severe Maternal Morbidity And Mortality In The US, 2007–15.” Health Affairs 38, no. 12 (December 1, 2019): 2077–85. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00805.

Main, Elliott K., Valerie Cape, Anisha Abreo, Julie Vasher, Amanda Woods, Andrew Carpenter, and Jeffrey B. Gould. “Reduction of Severe Maternal Morbidity from Hemorrhage Using a State Perinatal Quality Collaborative.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 216, no. 3 (March 2017): 298.e1-298.e11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.01.017.

Mhyre, Jill M., Robyn D'Oria, Afshan B. Hameed, Justin R. Lappen, Sharon L. Holley, Stephen K. Hunter, Robin L. Jones, Jeffrey C. King, and Mary E. D'Alton. “The Maternal Early Warning Criteria: A Proposal From the National Partnership for Maternal Safety.” Obstetrics & Gynecology 124, no. 4 (October 2014): 782–86. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000000480.

Petersen, Emily E., Nicole L. Davis, David Goodman, Shanna Cox, Nikki Mayes, Emily Johnston, Carla Syverson, et al. “Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68, no. 18 (May 7, 2019): 423–29. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6818e1.

Petersen, Emily E., Nicole L. Davis, David Goodman, Shanna Cox, Carla Syverson, Kristi Seed, Carrie Shapiro-Mendoza, William M. Callaghan, and Wanda Barfield. “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths — United States, 2007–2016.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68, no. 35 (September 6, 2019): 762–65. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6835a3.

Platt, Taylor, and Neva Kaye. “Four State Strategies to Employ Doulas to Improve Maternal Health and Birth Outcomes in Medicaid.” Brief. The National Academy for State Health Policy, July 13, 2020. https://nashp.org/four-state-strategies-to-employ-doulas-to-improve-maternal-health-and-birth-outcomes-in-medicaid/.

Trost, Susanna, Jennifer Beauregard, Gyan Chandra, Fanny Njie, Jasmine Berry, Alyssa Harvey, and David A. Goodman. “Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 US States, 2017–2019.” Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/erase-mm/data-mmrc.html.

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