# Texas maternal deaths drop to pre-pandemic levels

> Texas maternal mortality report shows mental health as top cause of pregnancy deaths.
- Title: Texas maternal deaths drop to pre-pandemic levels | Shortify
- Summary: Texas maternal mortality report shows mental health as top cause of pregnancy deaths.
- Keywords: texas, maternal mortality, pregnancy deaths, mental health, black mothers, medicaid, pregnancy loss, severe maternal morbidity, Texastribune
- Source: Texastribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17524299/texas-maternal-mortality-pregnancy-death-report-abortion
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: texas, maternal mortality, pregnancy deaths, mental health, black mothers, medicaid, pregnancy loss, severe maternal morbidity, news, local
## Texas maternal mortality report
Texas released its first comprehensive maternal mortality report since banning nearly all abortions in 2021.
## Mental health leads pregnancy deaths
Mental health issues became the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in 2024, down from infection in 2021.
## Maternal mortality ratio
Texas maternal mortality ratio dropped to 20.5 deaths per 100,000 births in 2024 from 23.5 in 2021.
## Black mothers at higher risk
Black women experienced pregnancy-related deaths at 2.4 times the rate of non-Hispanic white women.
## Severe maternal morbidity
Severe maternal morbidity rates increased from 80.4 to 83.5 per 100,000 births in 2024.
## Medicaid users at risk
More than half of pregnancy deaths in 2021 and 2024 were women using Medicaid health insurance.
## Report delay concerns
State officials delayed the report until after midterm elections, prompting criticism from women's health advocates.
## New recommendations
The report includes 11 recommendations to improve maternal health, including mental health services and Black maternal health studies.
## Key takeaway

Texas women dying from pregnancy or childbirth have dropped to pre-pandemic levels as mental health issues become the leading cause of deaths, with Black mothers dying at higher rates than others.