Using Surveillance To Promote Public Health
Examples from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PUBLICATION YEAR 2002

PRAMS: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative to reduce infant mortality and low birth weight. It is an ongoing, state-specific, population-based surveillance system designed to collect information on self-reported maternal behaviors and experiences that occur before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

PRAMS generates statewide estimates that can be used as measures of perinatal health among women who recently delivered a live infant. Each participating state uses a standardized data collection method developed by CDC. PRAMS staff in each state collect data through statewide mailings and follow up with nonrespondents by telephone. Because PRAMS data are state and population based, findings are generalizable to an entire state’s population of women who have delivered a live-born infant.

Since PRAMS began in 1987 with five states and the District of Columbia, it has grown tremendously. As of 2002, 32 states and the city of New York have PRAMS projects through cooperative agreements with CDC. PRAMS surveillance now covers approximately two-thirds of all births in the United States.

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Page last reviewed: 3/24/06
Page last modified: 3/24/06
Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion