Help ProPublica and NPR investigate why having a baby in the U.S. is so dangerous

More than 700 women die every year in the U.S. from pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes. Tens of thousands of expectant and new mothers nearly die. The U.S. is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth, with maternal deaths and life-threatening complications continuing to climb. Yet America’s maternal health crisis remains largely invisible. Even government officials and the medical establishment don’t fully understand what’s happening and why.

ProPublica and NPR plan to spend the next year investigating maternal mortality and near-deaths in the U.S. But first, we'd like to hear from you. Do you know a woman who has died or nearly died in pregnancy, childbirth or the first year after giving birth? Please tell us your story. Thank you for your help with this critically important project.

A NOTE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY: ProPublica and NPR are gathering these stories for the purposes of our reporting, and will not share your information with third-parties without your express permission.