Texas Skips Key Years In Maternal Mortality Review Amid Criticism

Texas has announced that it will not investigate pregnancy-related deaths for 2022 and 2023, skipping the years immediately following the state’s near-total abortion ban.

According to The Houston Chronicle, critics argue the move sidesteps critical data that could illuminate how the ban has impacted maternal health.

In a September meeting, leaders of the state’s Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee stated that the decision was made to prioritize “more contemporary” data, with plans to examine cases from 2024 instead.

“In 2024, the committee provided recommendations based on findings from maternal deaths that occurred in 2020,” Jennifer Shuford, the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, wrote in a September letter about the decision. “I am concerned that this means the committee’s recommendations to policy makers are still not based on the most recent case cohorts available.”

Dr. Carla Ortique, the committee chair, confirmed that while the Texas Department of State Health Services will release some basic data for 2022 and 2023, the committee will not conduct a full analysis of causes and trends for those years.

The committee’s upcoming 2024 review, expected in 2026, will offer the first insights into maternal health after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The delay has drawn criticism, with some suggesting it politically benefits Gov. Greg Abbott, who could seek reelection that year. Abbott appoints members of the review committee.

Delays in Maternal Mortality Data

This decision comes after years of delays in Texas’ maternal health reviews. In 2022, the committee released its findings for 2013-2019, reporting a rise in life-threatening complications among Black women. That report was delayed for months, leading to accusations that it was postponed until after Abbott’s reelection campaign.

The committee now faces similar scrutiny. Critics, including State Rep. Donna Howard, a Democrat from Austin, argued that skipping 2022 and 2023 will leave policymakers without crucial information needed to protect Texas mothers and families.

“This is about making sure we do all we can to protect the lives of Texas moms, protect their babies and protect their families,” she told Texas Public Radio. “Anything we do short of that is just absolutely anti-pro-life.”