Rurality, racial marginalization, and severe maternal morbidity risk in California, 1997–2019

Key Points

• Severe maternal morbidity risk increases significantly in marginalized racial groups and rural areas, indicating grave health inequalities.
• The analysis shows that from 1997 to 2019, severe maternal morbidity rates varied markedly with geographic and racial factors affecting health outcomes.
• Observational analysis across multiple California regions indicates the pronounced impact of racial marginalization on severe maternal morbidity risk.
• These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address health disparities in maternal care for affected populations.