Background: In the US, the increase in pre-existing maternal conditions and aging of the maternal population has resulted in a shift towards indirect causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Indirect causes of morbidity and mortality result from previous existing disease or disease that developed during pregnancy and which were not due to direct obstetric causes, but which were [...]

Background: Despite having the highest health care spending, the US continues to have rates of maternal mortality over three times greater than similarly high-income countries. Generally, deaths occur in the days immediately following birth, and typically occur in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). As ICU utilization is often employed to identify indication of severe maternal [...]