The core of the argument is that for a significant number of these deaths (especially mental health or substance abuse related), if the mothers had been allowed

The core of the argument is that for a significant number of these deaths (especially mental health or substance abuse related), if the mothers had been allowed to abort the baby, they would be in addition allowed to get the mental health or substance abuse issues under control. Of course, they might not get those issues under control. They might still have died of substance abuse or suicide. But the stress of being a new mother is well known (if not well understood or well supported by society or the American medical system - clearly). If a person is already predisposed to substance abuse and/or self-harm, maybe the additional impacts of post-partum mental conditions would push them further down that road. Especially as it pertains to the maternal-mortality/abortion discussion, I think its important to remember that the would-be mother's material conditions are not guaranteed to be static over the course of the pregnancy and post-partum period. The decision to conceive might be made in accordance with the best possible medical and financial advice, and still result in a bad situation for mother or child at the end of it all. My wife had a pretty easy time with both of our kids, but I am constantly haunted by stories from folks who made the same decisions we did, and lost mother, child, or both.