There is universal agreement that the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or the early months of new motherhood is a tragic event for the child/children left motherless, the family, and the community. Current estimates are that two or three women in the United States die per day from pregnancy-related causes. Although there has been an upsurge in maternal mortality review committees at the state level and in state and federal legislation to fund these and other activities, the efforts have been retrospective in nature, focusing on existing care approaches and funding mechanisms. Comprehensive maternal mortality reviews have much to teach us about knowledge gaps among women and their families related to pregnancy, childbirth, and its complications; gaps in facility preparedness for pregnancy-related complications and emergencies; gaps in providers’ knowledge and responsiveness to signs and symptoms of these complications; and gaps in coordination of care within and among healthcare facilities. This book is about the crisis in maternal health in America and the high number of American mothers who are sick and dying as they give life. It is a reservoir of critical questions about maternal health in America — the social determinants, structural and systemic forces, the culture of healthcare, the public health safety net, and national media attention to the issue. The authors seek to engage nursing, public health and other healthcare students, educators, providers, and advocates in conversation about solutions to this national dilemma. The book presents critical thinking exercises encouraging readers to create road maps for practice and advocacy and includes a PowerPoint presentation for face-to-face and online learning.