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Division of Reproductive Health: Activities—Maternal and Infant Health
Research |
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Approximately six million women become pregnant in the United States each
year. CDC is committed to identifying ways to improve women’s health before,
during, and after pregnancy, and identifying strategies to improve the
health and well-being of newborns and infants. We accomplish this through
research and programs that promote healthy lifestyles and improve early
detection and prevention among women at risk. Major and persistent racial
and ethnic disparities exist in pregnancy-related death and disease, preterm
birth, and fetal and infant mortality. Efforts are needed to advance
understanding of the causes of maternal and infant disease and death,
identify new opportunities for prevention, and translate new findings into
effective public health programs.
To improve healthy outcomes of women and infants, CDC's Division of
Reproductive Health conducts research and surveillance in partnership with
multiple federal and non-federal organizations and disseminates key
findings. CDC collaborates with partners in state health departments,
universities, professional societies, and health maintenance organizations
to advance understanding of risk factors, causes, and prevention strategies
for the leading causes of maternal and infant death and disability,
including preterm delivery, sudden
unexplained infant death, and acute and chronic conditions during
pregnancy.
Program Highlights
- Conducted and published a study that identified preterm birth as
the most frequent cause of infant death in the United States,
accounting for approximately one third of all infant deaths.
- In collaboration with outside investigators and state health
departments, conduct ongoing research to better understand the
social, behavioral, community, genetic, and biologic factors
associated with preterm birth and racial disparities, in an effort
to identify new opportunities for prevention.
- Guidelines for Death Scene Investigation of Sudden, Unexplained
Infant Death were revised in partnership with a national network of
participants.
- Conducted 5 regional train-the-trainer courses across the U.S.
to prepare state and local officials in accurate and consistent
investigation and reporting of sudden, unexplained infant deaths.
- Evaluating strategies to improve detection, referral, and care
of women with a history of gestational diabetes to reduce their high
risk for development of type 2 diabetes later in life.
- Conducting a collaborative study on adverse pregnancy outcomes—
placental abruption, preterm delivery, and hypertensive disorders of
pregnancy—associated with use of chew tobacco among Alaska Native
women.
- Evaluating how 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, a
progesterone compound for prevention of recurrent preterm birth, is used
during routine medical care.
- Strengthening and supporting community programs to reduce racial
disparities in preterm birth in partnership with the Healthy African
American Families Project in Los Angeles, California.
- Strengthening epidemiologic capacity and public health research
in maternal-child health among Native American/Alaska Native
populations in partnership with the Indian Health Service and tribal
health councils.
- Improving surveillance and conducting research of pregnancy-related
complications, and helping to translate findings into effective
prevention programs in partnership with state health departments and
managed care organizations.
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Program Impact
- Through nationwide training of infant death scene investigators,
improved reporting of the causes of infant death and increased accuracy
of the data used for research to reduce SIDS and other causes of sudden,
unexplained infant death.
- An expanded research agenda for addressing preterm birth that is
built on scientific knowledge developed over previous decades and in
conjunction with federal and non-federal partners.
- Accurate information on the health risks of smokeless tobacco use in
pregnancy among Alaska Native women to assist local agencies to generate
evidence-based health education messages.
- Improved assessment of antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum
complications and methods for monitoring the pregnancy-related and
long-term health of women.
- Heightened awareness of the importance of intensive maternal death
reviews at the state level with the aim of reducing the persistent
disparity in pregnancy-related deaths between black and white women.
Back to Activities
Page last reviewed: 3/26/08
Page last modified: 3/26/08
Content source:
Division of Reproductive Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion |
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