Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity among Rural Populations

By Shalini Wickramatilake, MHS

Earlier this year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the federal government oversight and assessment office, released a report titled, Maternal Mortality and Morbidity: Additional Efforts Needed to Assess Program Data for Rural and Underserved Areas. The GAO analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and found that the rate of death during pregnancy and postpartum is higher in rural areas than in non-rural areas. The GAO also analyzed data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on severe maternal morbidity, which is defined as “unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery resulting in significant health consequences.” They found that there are higher rates of severe maternal morbidity in metropolitan areas compared to rural areas.

The CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) fund and collect data from several maternal health programs that aim to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity--including maternal mental health disorders--across the U.S. However, the GAO notes that the CDC and HRSA do not analyze program data by rural and underserved areas, noting that in order to better address the needs of rural populations, it is important that these federal agencies adjust how they collect and analyze maternal health program data.

Notably, in this report the GAO recommends that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) work to establish a coordinated approach for monitoring maternal health efforts across HHS, including in rural and underserved areas.

2020 Mom is championing the Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal & Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Moms Act of 2021, a bill that aligns with the GAO’s recommendation, though focused specifically on maternal mental health. The TRIUMPH for New Moms Act is being led by Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44th District), Larry Bucshon (R-IN-8th District), Young Kim (R-CA-39th District), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-District At-Large) in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan bill would create a federal interagency task force, to be led by the Assistant Secretary of Health, to better coordinate federal programs that address maternal mental health. If your member of Congress has not yet signed on in support of the TRIUMPH Act (click here to check), contact them today urging them to support this important piece of legislation! Moms across the country need more coordinated and accessible mental health services, and the TRIUMPH Act will help meet those needs.