LOS ANGELES, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. health care system too often fails women of reproductive age, according to a new study from the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit private foundation supporting independent research on health policy reform and a high-performance health system.

       U.S. women have the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries, while Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women are, said the study released on Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund.

       U.S. women of reproductive age are significantly more likely to have problems paying their medical bills or to skip or delay needed care because of costs, said the study, adding that high health care costs are significant burdens for many U.S. households, even those covered by health insurance.

       The study found that the United States also has the highest rate of avoidable deaths among women, compared with other high-income countries: nearly 200 in 100,000 deaths could have been prevented or treated with the right care provided at the right time. Researchers pointed out that high rates of avoidable deaths often indicate shortcomings in public health and care delivery systems.

       The study noted that "the COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the true extent of health and racial inequities in U.S. health care and exacerbated its many weaknesses, including underinvestment in primary care and mental health."

       "Across the U.S., women increasingly face threats to reproductive health care access, including abortion services, which could have a lifelong impact on physical and mental health," added the study based on data from both the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Commonwealth Fund's 2020 International Health Policy Surveys.