How Data Can Improve Maternal Health Outcomes
Bringing a new life into the world should be a safe and healthy experience for all families, but for too many it’s a time marked by medical risk and uncertainty. That’s where data can make a difference. If we can highlight gaps in care and identify communities with the greatest needs, we can drive more effective interventions and better health outcomes.
Black Maternal Health Week is a moment to bring national attention to persistent maternal health challenges — particularly for Black women, who experience 3.5 times higher maternal mortality rates than non-Hispanic White women.
At Metopio, we believe that one of the most effective tools for improving care is reliable, localized data that can guide decision-making at every level.
Addressing Gaps in Maternal Care
Each year, approximately 700 people in the U.S. die from pregnancy-related causes, and 50,000 more experience serious health complications. These adverse outcomes are tied to a variety of contributing factors — many of which are entirely preventable.
Despite improvements in technology and clinical practices, one of the key challenges is gaps in consistent, accessible, and high-quality care across geographies and populations.
Identifying Maternal Health Deserts
Improving maternal outcomes begins with understanding where care is lacking. That’s why Metopio has introduced a new, targeted data layer: Maternal Health Deserts.
To make this comparison, we used variables such as:
Few or no OB/GYN or prenatal providers
Long travel distances to birthing hospitals or clinics
Limited availability of early and consistent prenatal care
You can then overlay 14 key maternal health indicators in addition to the Maternal Health Deserts index. This will identify locations where the risk of poor outcomes is compounded by limited care availability in order to help decision-makers better direct resources, partnerships, and policy efforts.
Connecting Outcomes with Other Key Factors
What sets Metopio apart is the ability to analyze maternal health indicators in the broader context of population health. Our platform makes it easy to explore a view of maternal outcomes alongside:
Insurance coverage rates
Provider-to-population ratios
Prevalence of chronic health conditions (like hypertension or diabetes)
Indicators of barriers to care such as health literacy and transportation access
This connected view allows users to move from identifying the problem to understanding what’s driving it — and where investments can be made to have the greatest impact on mothers and their babies.
Reliable, Responsible Data
All data in Metopio’s platform is de-identified, aggregated, and compliant with privacy regulations. Where possible, we use five-year rolling averages to increase statistical reliability, especially for smaller demographic populations or in rural areas.
Data is available at the state level and for counties with populations over 100,000. While this provides robust insights for many urban and suburban areas, it also highlights a need for improved data collection in rural and frontier communities.
Where available, users can also explore race and ethnicity breakdowns to understand how different groups are experiencing care and outcomes.
Better Information for Better Decisions
For policymakers, health systems, and community leaders, having access to detailed, curated, and connected data is essential to improving maternal health outcomes. At Metopio, we’re committed to providing the tools that help identify care gaps and guide meaningful action.
Every birth should be supported by a system that ensures timely, safe, and effective care. Data helps identify where we can make the most progress and today, that is closing the gap for Black women.
Visit metopio.com to learn how Metopio’s data platform can help you better understand and improve maternal health in the communities you serve.