The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest physician group, voted at its Annual Meeting to adopt the following new policy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are at the highest in decades, with the maternal mortality rate among African American women being especially high.

Today the AMA voted to support increased efforts to educate providers, hospitals and patient organizations about the increasing risk of maternal mortality in the U.S. and the importance of preconception care, and urged further study of racial disparities in maternal mortality.

"Along with obesity and hypertension, racial disparities has been identified as the most significant factor contributing to the high maternal mortality rate," said AMA Board Member Samantha Rosman, M.D. "More studies need to be done to better understand this disturbing trend in maternal mortality and to determine what can be done to correct it."

American Medical Association
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