OLYMPIA, Wash - Care quality, financial barriers and lack of healthcare access contributed to pregnancy-related deaths in Washington and nearly all of those deaths were preventable.

The findings of a new report released by the Washington Department of Health examines maternal deaths in Washington between 2021-2022. The Maternal Mortality Review Panel Report shows maternal deaths were up in that period.

Nearly half of the pregnant women who died suffered behavior-related deaths, which the panel classifies as suicide, homicide and accidental overdose.

American Indian and Alaska Native communities had the highest mortality rate, with the risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes 7.3 times higher than that of non-Hispanic white people.

People in rural areas experienced higher rate of mat

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