Black maternal mortality in Michigan
42.90
per 100,000 live births
Black women in Michigan die from pregnancy-related causes at 42.9 per 100,000 live births — 2.3× the US national rate of 19.
US national average: 19 per 100,000 live births
Historical trend
What this means for Black residents
That figure runs materially above the US national average of 19.0 per 100,000 live births.
Maternal mortality is the single most widely studied Black-white health disparity in the United States. In Michigan, the gap reflects a combination of provider workforce distribution (obstetric hospitals closing in rural and Black-majority counties), insurance churn (Medicaid eligibility that ends post-delivery in non-extension states), and chronic undertreatment of pain and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. National evidence from the CDC MMRC Data System and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative shows that implicit-bias training, standardized hemorrhage and preeclampsia protocols, and Medicaid-covered doula support each measurably reduce preventable deaths. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia — consistently the three highest-rate states — have each piloted at least two of these interventions, but uptake is uneven.
The figures on this page are drawn from CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death, which is the canonical public dataset for this indicator. See the References section below for supporting citations from MMWR, NEJM, and JAMA where the underlying drivers have been studied.
Policy actions
Michigan has adopted Medicaid expansion, meaning low-income Black women can access prenatal care through Medicaid from the first trimester regardless of employment. 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension is active, keeping coverage in place through the post-delivery period when more than half of maternal deaths occur.
Medicaid covers doula services in this state. Evidence from the Oregon, Minnesota, and New York programs shows Medicaid-covered doula support reduces preterm birth and unplanned cesarean rates, with the largest effects among Black birthing people.
Where to get help in your state
- Find a Black OB-GYN or certified nurse-midwife in Michigan: Black Health provider directory
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Michigan: browse sliding-scale clinics
- Postpartum Support International Helpline: Call or text 1-800-944-4773 (English/Spanish, 24/7)
- Black Mamas Matter Alliance resource hub: blackmamasmatter.org
References & primary sources
- Primary dataset: CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death
- Petersen EE et al. Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, US, 2011–2015 and Strategies for Prevention. MMWR. 2019. mmwr.mm6818e1
- Howell EA. Reducing Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2018. PubMed ID: 29346121
Data refreshed: