According to MSNBC, the national rate of pregnancy-related deaths is on the rise. A new government study found that between 1998 and 2005, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths was 14.5 per 100,000 live births. While it may appear low, those figures are higher than the past few decades. In 1979 where were just under 11 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the extent which the rise reflects a true elevation in women is unclear. Chronic medical conditions are exacerbated by pregnancy, including heart disease. Deaths from actual birth such as hemorrhaging are declining. Even high blood pressure that may occur during pregnancy appears to be declining in rates. Another factor is reporting of deaths, as a new cause coding system was implemented in 1999 and a system before it did not have a pregnancy or maternal checkbox.

For the study, the researchers looked at data on 4,693 pregnancy-related deaths reported to the agency between 1998 and 2005. A pregnancy-related death is any death occurring during or within one year of pregnancy that was attributed to pregnancy complications.

The new findings do not underscore the importance of women’s health before and during pregnancy. A lead researcher of CDC’s division of reproductive health suggests that all women should try to have a pre-pregnancy visit with their doctor and get any health issues under control before becoming pregnant. Doctors warn that our society sees more obese women in of childbearing age which raises the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.