American Indian/Alaska Native Women’s Health

Women experience many unique health issues such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Some health issues that affect both men and women pose unique challenges for women, such as urinary tract infections (UTI) and some mental health conditions. Some women can experience serious long-term health problems from both pregnancy and childbirth. Strategies to make sure women get high-quality health care before, during, and after pregnancy can help lower the risk of pregnancy-related health problems and deaths.

Women are also at risk for diseases like breast and cervical cancer. Screening for these diseases and health issues that disproportionately affect women is key to identifying problems and making sure women get the treatment they need.

See the “Related Data” section for additional insight into women’s health topics.

  • In 2021, the leading causes of pregnancy-related death among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women were mental health conditions, infections, and hemorrhages.

  • In 2023, the AI/AN birth rate was 4% lower than the U.S. population overall, and the fertility rate was 12% lower than the U.S. population overall.

Additional Resources

MedlinePlus

HHS Office on Women’s Health

Further Reading

Maternal Mortality

Underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths among American Indian or Alaska Native women, percentage, 2021
Cause or ConditionAI/AN
Mental health condition40.00
Infection (includes COVID-19, 28.6% of all deaths, n=10)37.14
Hemorrhage (excludes aneurysms or CVA)5.71
Pulmonary conditions (excludes ARDS)2.86
Neurologic/neurovascular conditions (excludes CVA)2.86
Injury2.86
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy2.86
Cerebrovascular accident not secondary to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy2.86
Cardiovascular conditions (includes cardiomyopathy, 2.9% of all deaths, n=1)2.86
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Pregnancy-related deaths among American Indian or Alaska Native women: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees, Underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths among American Indian or Alaska Native women, 2021. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Fertility

Birth rate per 1,000 population, 2023
AI/AN*Total PopulationRatio (AI/AN* / Total)
10.310.70.96
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Births: Final data for 2023 (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 1, Table 1). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Fertility rate per 1,000 females ages 15-44, 2023
AI/AN*Total PopulationRatio (AI/AN* / Total)
48.054.50.88
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Births: Final data for 2023 (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 1, Table 1). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.

Cancer

AI/AN women have higher rates of cervical and uterine cancer than U.S. women overall.

Explore more cancer data.

Cerebrovascular Diseases (Stroke)

AI/AN women are more likely to die from cerebrovascular diseases than AI/AN men.

Explore more cerebrovascular diseases data.

Diabetes

AI/AN women are more likely to die from diabetes than U.S. women overall.

Explore more diabetes data.

Heart Disease

AI/AN women are less likely to die from major cardiovascular disease than U.S. women overall.

Explore more heart disease data.

HIV/AIDS

AI/AN women have lower rates of HIV/AIDS than AI/AN men.

Explore more HIV/AIDS data.

Hypertension

AI/AN women are more likely to die from high blood pressure and related kidney disease than U.S. women overall.

Explore more hypertension data.

Immunizations

AI/AN girls have lower HPV vaccination rates than AI/AN boys.

Explore more immunizations data.

Infant Mortality

AI/AN mothers are more likely to received late or no prenatal care compared U.S. mothers overall.

Explore more infant mortality data.

Kidney Disease

AI/AN women are more likely to die from kidney disease than U.S. women overall.

Explore more kidney disease data.

Liver Disease

AI/AN women are more likely to die from liver disease than U.S. women overall.

Explore more liver disease data.

Mental Health

AI/AN women have higher rates of suicide than U.S. women overall.

Explore more mental health data.

Nutrition

AI/AN girls report eating vegetables more often than AI/AN boys.

Explore more nutrition data.

Obesity

AI/AN girls are more likely to be overweight than AI/AN boys.

Explore more obesity data.

Physical Activity

AI/AN girls are less likely to be physically active than AI/AN boys.

Explore more physical activity data.

Smoking, Vaping, and Tobacco Use

AI/AN girls are more likely to use tobacco products than AI/AN boys.

Explore more smoking, vaping, and tobacco use data.

Substance Use

AI/AN women have higher rates of drug overdose deaths than U.S. women overall.

Explore more substance use data.

Viral Hepatitis

AI/AN women are more likely to die from viral hepatitis than AI/AN men.

Explore more viral hepatitis data.


Date Last Reviewed: March 2026