WE
WE WILL
WE WILL GET AN UPDATE IN A FEW MINU4@TES.>>> IT IS AMONG THE
MOST HEART WRENCHING TRAGEDIES
IN AMERICA.
IN AMERICA. 700 TO 4@900 MOTHERS DIE FROM
COMPLICATIONS DUE 4@TO CHILDBIR.
IT IS EVEN WORSE HERE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH THE HELP
OF A NONPROFIT INVESTIGATIVE
GROUP, WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO BRING
THAT DOWN.4@
THAT DOWN.4@ >> THAT'S YOUR MOMMY. 4@
WHAT IS YOUR MOMMY'S NAME?
>> Reporter: HE WILL ONLY EVER
KNOW HIS MOTHER THROUGH 4@
PICTURES.
PICTURES.
PICTURES. >> THAT IS YOU TOO.4@
>> Reporter:4@ SHE DIED JUST
AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO HIM. 4@
HIS FATHER HAS STRUGGLED TO
RAISE HIM WITHOUT HER.4@
>> I CANNOT PUT IT INTO WORDS.
I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.
I SEE HIM AND I SEE HER.
I MISS HER.
>> Reporter: SHE WAS JUST 34.4@
HER FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR SAID 4@
SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE
HIM.>>4@ THAT GIRL LOVED 4@THAT
BABY BEFORE HE WAS BORN.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD TO TRAVEL
ACROSS TOWN FOR HER PRENATAL
APPOINTMENTS.
APPOINTMENTS. BUT THERE WERE NO EARLY WARNING
SIGNS.
SIGNS.
SIGNS. SHE DELIVERED4@ BY CESAREAN
SECTION AND WAS EAGER TO GET
HOME TO HER 4@OTHER CHILDREN.4@@
>> SHE FADED A LITTLE BIT IN
THE CAR AND SHE CAME BACK.
>> Reporter: THE DAY AFTER SHE
GOT HOME HIS OLDEST SON HEARD
THE BABY CRYING. WHEN THEY GOT
INSIDE4@ SHE WAS DEAD.
>> IT WAS VERY SAD DAY.4@ 4@
AND UNBELIEVABLE DAY.
>> Reporter: THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER FOUND THAT SHE DIED OF
CARDIOMYOPATHY.
CARDIOMYOPATHY. A REAR WEAKENING OF THE HEART'S
ABILITY TO 4@PUMP BLOOD.
IT HITS WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF
BIRTH.
BIRTH.
BIRTH. THE SYMPTOMS4@, SWOLLEN ANKLES,
SHORTNESS OF BREATH, ARE
SYMPTOMS A LOT OF WOMEN SUFFER
DURING PREGNANCY.>> COULD THEY
HAVE DONE MORE?
WHY DID SHE FEINT IN THE CAR?
>> Reporter: THESE ARE THE
KINDS OF QUESTIONS TOO MANY
FAMILIES ARE LEFT STRUGGLING TO
ANSWER.
ANSWER.
ANSWER. WHILE MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HAVE PUSHED THE MATERNAL DEATH
RATE DOWN, THE RATE OF MOTHERS
DYIN4@G IN THE U.S. HAS BEEN
CLIMBING. THE CAUSES ARE 4@OLDE
MOTHERS, MEDICAL MISTAKES,
POVERTY, LACK OF PRENATAL CARE,
AND MORE.
AND MORE.
AND MORE. SO THE REALITY IS WE DO NOT
HAVE GOOD DATA.
>> WE NEED TO GET THE DATA AND
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE AGE OF
THESE WOMEN, WHERE THEY LIVE,
WHERE THEY ARE GETTING CARE.
>> Reporter: THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN
TAKING CARE OF WOMEN FOR 35
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. SHE HAS PUSHED FOR THE CITY TO
PUT TOGETHER A REVIEW COMMITTEE
TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE MOTHER
WHO DIES FROM PREGNANC4@Y
-RELATED COMPLICATIONS.
-RELATED COMPLICATIONS. ARE THE COMMONALITIES?
>> WE DO NOT KNOW.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT FROM
THE INFORMATION.
THE INFORMATION. >> Reporter: THE RATES HAVE
BEEN CUT IN CALIFORNIA BY
PRESSING HOSPITALS TO DEVELOP
PROTOCOLS TO DEAL WITH
EMERGENCIES LIKE UNCONTROLLED
BLEEDING4@ AND A SPIKE IN BLOOD
PRESSURE.
PRESSURE.
PRESSURE. >> Reporter: WENT COMPLICATIONS
HAPPEN4@, THERE IS NO TIME TO
SPARE.
SPARE.
SPARE. WE
SPARE. WE HAVE TO ACT QUICKLY.4@
WASHINGTON, D.C. IS CREATING
THEIR OWN REVIEW COMMITTEE
HOPING TO SAVE OUR FAMILIES
FROM THE KIND OF GRIEF THAT
THIS FAMILY SUFFERED.
>> THAT IS THE MOST SENSITIVE
SUBJECT TO TALK ABOUT.4@
>> Reporter: MAYBE WE CAN SAVE
MORE CHILDREN FROM HAVING TO GO
OUT WITHOUT THEIR MOTHER'S.
>> THAT IS A TOUGH STORY.
I UNDERSTAND THERE HAS BEEN
MOVEMENT ON TRACKING THE DEATHS
HERE?
HERE?
HERE? >>4@ THE COUNCIL HAS PASSED A
BILL THAT WOULD CREATE A
COMMITTEE THAT WOULD LOOK AT 4@
EVERY SINGLE TIME WE LOSE ONE
OF THESE MOMS.
THE MAYOR SAID SHE WILL SIGN
THAT.>> WE HAVE MORE PERSONAL
STORIES ON OUR MOBILE APP.