Maternal mortality review panels are in the spotlight. Here’s what they do

AP Science Writer

Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. These maternal mortality review committees usually do their work quietly. But they have recently become a lightning rod in three states with strict abortion laws — Georgia, Texas and Idaho. One expert says that the goal of these groups is to dive deeply into what causes maternal deaths and help policymakers and others decide what to do about them. They gather all the information they can on the deaths, then issue public reports with findings, trends and recommendations.