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Experts: U.S. Childbirth Deaths on Rise

She had a heart attack after a massive blood loss, Davis said. It's not clearly known what caused the heavy bleeding. There was no autopsy, he said, a decision he now regrets.

Two previous births had gone well.


In this handout photo from Tim Davis his wife Elizabeth, is shown with their sons Matthew, left and Jacob, right, during a trip to Virginia beach in August 2000. She was pregnant at the time and died a month later after the birth of the child. U.S. women are dying from childbirth at the highest rate in decades, new government figures show. Though the risk of death is very small, experts believe increasing maternal obesity and a jump in Caesarean sections are partly to blame. (AP Photo/HANDOUT PHOTO/TIM DAVIS) NO SALES
In this handout photo from Tim Davis his wife Elizabeth, is shown with their sons Matthew, left and Jacob, right, during a trip to Virginia beach in August 2000. She was pregnant at the time and died a month later after the birth of the child. U.S. women are dying from childbirth at the highest rate in decades, new government figures show. Though the risk of death is very small, experts believe increasing maternal obesity and a jump in Caesarean sections are partly to blame. (AP Photo/HANDOUT PHOTO/TIM DAVIS) NO SALES (Tim Davis - AP)
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"Nothing led us to believe anything was wrong with this pregnancy. She was like a picture of health," he continued, noting she had been a YMCA fitness instructor.

A lawsuit against the hospital ended in a settlement. Davis also sued the obstetrician, but a jury ruled in the doctor's favor.

The child born that day, Ethan, starts second grade next week. "He's a happy kid," Davis said. "He's just never had a mom."

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On the Net:

National Center for Health Statistics 2004 deaths report:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_19.pdf


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© 2007 The Associated Press