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Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.


Displaying records 1 through 20 (25 total).

New Mexico Department of Health . n.d.. New Mexico Maternal Mortality Review Committee annual report: Pregnancy-associated deaths 2015-2018. Santa Fe: New Mexico Department of Health, 34 pp.

Annotation: This report describes the maternal mortality review process in the state of New Mexico, presents key findings on pregnancy-associated deaths in the state for the period 2015-2018, and provides recommendations from the Review Committee aimed at reducing maternal deaths. The data indicates cause of death, race/ethnicity, place of birth, type of insurance, and other factors.

Keywords: Committees, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Models, New Mexico , Prevention, Research, State programs, Statistics

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. 2025. Maternal mortality review – Powering prevention. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 2 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet describes maternal mortality review as a comprehensive process to identify, review, and analyze deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, and the year postpartum to improve systems of care and prevent future tragedies. The document explains that this work is carried out by Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), which are multidisciplinary state- or jurisdiction-based groups that conduct in-depth reviews of each death to determine critical factors and craft tailored recommendations. It describes how Congress passed the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act in 2018, which authorized the CDC's Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) program to provide funding and technical assistance to MMRCs in over 50 states and jurisdictions. The fact sheet outlines the alignment between MMRCs and the Title V MCH Services Block Grant, noting that MMRCs offer distinct qualitative, case-based insights that can inform Title V priority setting and planning.

Keywords: Information dissemination, Legislation, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Prevention, Research

Texas Health and Human Services, Department of State Health Services . 2022. Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and Department of State Health Services joint biennial report 2022. Austin, TX: Texas Department of State Health Services, 61 pp.

Annotation: This joint report presents key findings on cases of pregnancy-related deaths in the state of Texas, including health conditions and factors that disproportionately affect the most at-risk populations. It reports underlying causes of death and disparities in maternal deaths based on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, demographics, and other variables. Descriptions of best practices and programs aimed at reducing pregnancy-related deaths in other states are included.

Keywords: Committees, Data Statistics, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Models, Prevention, Research, State programs, Texas, Trends

Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee . 2021. Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee legislative report . Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Department of Health , Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, 38 pp.

Annotation: This report presents findings from a review of statewide maternal deaths for the year 2018, conducted by the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Statistics on the timing, causes, and contributing factors are presented for deaths that occurred during pregnancy, or within one year of the end of pregnancy. Pregnancy-associated deaths according to race/ethnicity, insurance type, and age are also delineated. Background information on the Review Committee's work, definitions of key terms, and recommendations to help lower the rate of maternal mortality in Arkansas are included.

Keywords: Arkansas, Committees, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Models, Research, State programs, Statistics

Maternal and Child Health Section, Center for Prevention & Health Promotion,Oregon Health Authority. 2021. Oregon Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee biennial report. Portland, OR: Oregon Health Authority, 30 pp.

Annotation: This report provides background information on the Oregon Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, introduces processes that have been created to operationalize the committee, and presents key findings from case reviews performed in 2020. Based on the data analysis and review, the report includes Committee recommendations on action steps to help eliminate preventable pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths in Oregon.

Keywords: Committees, Maternal death, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Models, Oregon, Prevention, Research, State programs, Statistics

Declercq E, Zephyrin L. 2021. Severe maternal morbidity in the United States: A primer. New York, NY: The Commonwealth Fund, 15 pp. (Issue Briefs)

Annotation: This data brief examines severe maternal morbidity in the United States, which affects approximately 50,000-60,000 women annually. It describes the scope and severity of maternal health complications before, during, and after childbirth, highlighting stark racial and socioeconomic disparities. The brief discusses different definitions and measurement approaches for severe maternal morbidity, common indicators and conditions, risk factors, and implications for health care costs and postpartum health. It also provides recommendations for improving maternal health outcomes and measurement, including expanding insurance coverage and adopting more comprehensive, culturally appropriate care models.

Keywords: Data , Maternal death, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Childbirth, Postpartum care

World Health Organization. 2021. Implementation of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response as part of quality of care efforts for maternal and newborn health: considerations for synergy and alignment. Geneva, CH: World Health Organization, 8 pp.

Annotation: This knowledge brief from the World Health Organization (WHO) addresses the implementation of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) as part of broader quality of care (QoC) efforts for maternal and newborn health. It explains how MPDSR generates quality information on leading causes of maternal and perinatal deaths that can inform prioritization of quality improvement interventions. The brief presents practical considerations for strengthening synergies between MPDSR and QoC structures and processes at national, subnational, and facility levels, with examples from Ethiopia and Nigeria where MPDSR committees and QoC teams have been successfully aligned or integrated. It includes a framework showing how MPDSR cycle components can connect with the Plan-Do-Study-Act approach used in quality improvement, along with options for organizational structures that promote coordination between MPDSR and QoC activities. The document concludes with emerging questions for implementation and learning that can guide future efforts to maximize the impact of these complementary approaches.

Keywords: Coordination, Death, International health, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Perinatal mortality, Population surveillance, Quality improvement, Service integration

Minnesota Maternal Mortality Review Committee . [2020]. Minnesota maternal mortality report (2017-2018). St. Paul, MN: , 26 pp.

Annotation: This report includes the findings of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) on birthing people who died during or within one year after the end of a pregnancy in 2017-2018. The review includes statistics on pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths based on race/ethnicity, cause of death, location of death, and pregnancy timing/status (death before, during, or after birth). Based on the data analysis and review, recommendations on action steps that can help prevent maternal mortality are included.

Keywords: Committees, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Minnesota, Models, Research, State programs, Statistics

Maselli D, Merrian A, McCarthy T, VanHouten C. 2020. Maternal mortality in Connecticut: Maternal Mortality Review Committee data 2015-2017. Hartford: Connecticut Department of Health , 44 pp.

Annotation: This report presents findings from a review of statewide maternal deaths for the years 2015-2017 conducted by the Connecticut Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Background information on the state's population, including income and racial disparities, are provided, together with statistics on pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths. The data is presented by race, insurance type, cause of death, and other variables. Sections on mental health, substance use, and intimate partner violence are included. The report concludes with the Review Committee's recommendations on action that can be taken to help prevent pregnancy-related deaths in Connecticut.

Keywords: Committees, Connecticut, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Models, Prevention, Research, State programs, Statistics

Indiana Mortality Review Committee . 2020. Indiana Maternal Mortality Review Committee: 2020 annual report. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Health , 58 pp.

Annotation: This annual report from Indiana Maternal Mortality Review Committee describes the state of maternal mortality in Indiana, including the social factors associated with poor maternal health outcomes. Based on a review of all pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths that occurred in the state in 2018, the report presents maternal mortality statistics based on the cause of death, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and other variables and contributing factors. Based on the data analysis and review, Committee recommendations on ways to help reduce the rate of preventable maternal deaths are included.

Keywords: Committees, Data, Indiana, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Models, Prevention, State programs, Statistics

Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission. 2020. Medicaid's role in maternal health: Chapter 5 of the June 2020 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP. Washington, DC: The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, 34 pp.

Annotation: This chapter examines Medicaid's role in providing maternity care and improving maternal health outcomes in the United States. It describes concerning trends in maternal mortality and morbidity, including racial and ethnic disparities. The chapter provides an overview of Medicaid eligibility and benefits for pregnant women, noting that Medicaid financed over 40% of U.S. births in 2018. It details state and federal efforts to improve maternal care and outcomes through Medicaid, including policies around eligibility, education and outreach, covered benefits, care delivery models, and payment initiatives. The chapter concludes by outlining areas for future Commission work on this topic, such as value-based purchasing and postpartum coverage.

Keywords: Maternal death, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Childbirth, Medicaid

Andino V, Bates A, Buck , Lazariu V, Wiesman J. 2019. Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel: Maternal deaths 2014-16: Report to the legislature. Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Health, 81 pp.

Annotation: This legislative report presents findings from a review of statewide maternal deaths for the years 2014-2016, conducted by the Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel. Statistics on the timing, causes, and contributing factors are presented for deaths that occurred during pregnancy, or within one year of the end of pregnancy. The report includes data from a previously published report; however, given the growing understanding of the role that behavioral health issues play in pregnancy, this report also examines maternal deaths from suicide and substance overdose. Based on the data analysis and review, recommendations on action steps that can help reduce the rate of preventable maternal deaths are included.

Keywords: , Data, Maternal death, Maternal mortality, Model programs, Prevention, State programs, Statistics, Washington

Highsmith K. [2013]. National Maternal Health Initiative: A comprehensive collaborative strategy. Rockville, MD: U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 16 slides.

Annotation: This presentation provides information about a U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MHCB) national maternal health initiative. The presentation focuses on maternal morbidity in the United States. Topic include numbers of deaths, causes of death, risk factors; economic burden, MCHB's vision, the initiative's goals and priority areas, and guiding principles for a national health strategy.

Keywords: Costs, Maternal death, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, National initiatives, Prevention, Racial factors, Risk factors, Statistical data

National Center for Chronic Disease prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, National Maternal Health Initiative. (2012). CDC/AMCHP assessment of maternal mortality review processes in the United States. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; Atlanta, GA: National Center for Chronic Disease prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, 1 p.

Save the Children. 2012. Nutrition in the first 1,000 days: State of the world's mothers 2012. Westport, CT: Save the Children, 70 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about which countries are doing the best—and the worst—at providing nutrition beginning during pregnancy and continuing through a child's second birthday. The report looks at six low-cost nutritional solutions, including breastfeeding, that have the potential to save lives, and discusses the affordability of these solutions. Also discussed are the global malnutrition crisis and why the first 1,000 days of a child's life are particularly important in terms of nutrition.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Child death, Child health, Child nutrition, Child nutrition programs, Costs, Developing countries, Financing, Infant death, Infant health, Infant nutrition, International health, Maternal nutrition, Maternal nutrition programs, Nutrition, Pregnancy, Prevention, Public policy, Reproductive health, Women's health

Health Resources and Services Administration. [2011]. Secretary's Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality [web site]. [Rockville,MD]: Health Resources and Services Administration,

Annotation: This website describes the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality (SACIM) and its roles and actions in advising the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on HHS programs that are directed at reducing infant mortality and improving the health status of pregnant women and infants. The site also contains advice from the SACIM on how best to coordinate federal, state, local and private efforts that address the health and social problems that have an impact on infant mortality. Site contents include the latest (2009-2011) charter and a list of current members, information about the SACIM, and an archive of correspondence to the HHS Secretary. In addition an archive of Committee meetings (from 2004-2011) is provided with agenda, minutes, and presentations.

Keywords: Advisory committees, Child health, Infant death, Infant mortality, Maternal health, Prevention

New York Academy of Medicine. 2011. Maternal mortality in New York: A call to action—Findings and priority action steps. New York, NY: New York Academy of Medicine, 11 pp.

MacDorman MF, Kirmeyer S. 2009. The challenge of fetal mortality. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 8 pp. (NCHS data brief, no. 16)

Annotation: This report examines data from the National Vital Statistics System for fetal death of 20 weeks gestation or more. Topics include the impact of fetal mortality on families, recent trends, differences among racial and ethnic groups, rates among twins or other multiple pregnancies, relationship between fetal mortality and maternal age, and fetal mortality rates by number of previous pregnancies.

Keywords: Ethnic factors, Fetal death, Fetal mortality, Maternal age, Multiple pregnancy, National surveys, Population surveillance, Pregnancy loss, Racial factors, Statistical data, Statistics

Martin KR. 2008. The association between shared sleeping arrangements and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Los Angeles, CA: University of California, Los Angeles, 178 pp.

Annotation: This dissertation examines the association between shared sleeping arrangements and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among a diverse population in the United States. The measures of co-sleeping (a term used in this study to include bed sharing and room sharing) account for the type of sleep service, the relation of the co-sleeper to the infant, and last and usual practices. The results indicate (1) the prevalence and correlates of co-sleeping among a population-based sample of cases of SIDS and live control infants in 11 Califoreen infant bed-sharing and SIDS; and (3) the associasharing and SIDS among infants who last slept alone in a crib. Tables provide additional data such as the reasons given for co-sleeping, breastfeeding history, birthweight of infant, smoking habits during pregnancy, and age and race/ethnicity of the mother.

Keywords: Data, Infant death, Maternal behavior, Research, Risk factors, SIDS, Sleep position, Studies

Hoyert DL. 2007. Maternal mortality and related concepts. Rockville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 13 pp. (Vital and health statistics: Series 3, Analytical and epidemiological studies; no. 33)

Annotation: This report summarizes processing of maternal mortality in the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and describes some recent changes affecting NVSS data and their impact upon statistics on deaths of pregnant women. Specifically, the report examines the impact of revision of the death certificate and the International Classification of Diseases. Methods, results, and a discussion are presented.

Keywords: Death certificates, Maternal mortality, Pregnant women, Statistical data

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The MCH Library is one of six special collections at Georgetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, private, university, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Georgetown University or the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.