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Maternal and Infant Health Research: Home

Pregnancy and childbirth have an enormous impact on the physical, mental, emotional, and socioeconomic health of women and their families. In collaboration with partners, CDC conducts research and supports programs to improve women’s health before, during, and after pregnancy, and to reduce both short and long-term complications. Our goal is to help ensure that all women have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

While maternal death is the most extreme pregnancy-related problem, many more women are affected by pregnancy-related complications, such as—

Pregnancy-related health consequences are influenced by women's health conditions as well as other factors such as race, ethnicity, age, and income. CDC collaborates with private and public partners to reduce the high rates of poor outcomes experienced by some racial and ethnic groups and to improve the pregnancy and delivery experience for all women.

Featured Items

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Healthy Pregnancy
If you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you probably have a lot of questions.  This webpage will help you learn how to be healthy (before, during, and after pregnancy) and give your baby a healthy start to life.

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Healthy Baby
Learn more about how to help keep you and your baby healthy and safe, as well as learn about certain birth defects and medical conditions.

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Preterm Birth
Preterm birth is the birth of a baby at least three weeks before the due date. Being born early is the greatest risk factor for death within the first year of life.

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SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
SIDS is defined as the sudden death of a baby less than one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation.

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PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System)
A surveillance project of the CDC and state health departments, PRAMS collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

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Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program (MCH EPI)
The MCH EPI Program’s mission is to promote and improve the health and well-being of women, children, and families by building MCH epidemiology and data capacity at the state, local, and tribal levels.


Selected Resources

Division of Reproductive Health: Research in Maternal and Infant Health
This site describes DRH’s maternal and infant health research and surveillance activities.

Division of Reproductive Health: Publications about Maternal and Infant Health
Provides a listing of DRH publications about maternal and infant health.

Maternal and Infant Data Health and Statistics

International Surveys
Reproductive health surveys collect data on maternal and infant health in developing countries.

Wildfires: Information for Pregnant Women and Parents of Young Infants
Learn what pregnant women and parents of young children can do if they are, or may be, evacuated from their home. For more information about wildfires, see: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/

Preconception Care
The main goal of preconception care is to provide health promotion, screening, and interventions for women of reproductive age to reduce risk factors that might affect future pregnancies.

Achievements in Public Health, 1900–1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies
This report summarizes trends in reducing infant and maternal mortality in the United States, factors contributing to these trends, challenges in reducing infant and maternal mortality, and provides suggestions for public health action for the 21st century. Source: MMWR 1999;48(38):849–858.

Healthy People 2010
Healthy People
is a collection of 10-year health objectives for the Nation developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Chapter 16 contains the maternal, infant, and child health objectives.

National Library of Medicine
Conduct a search for more information about maternal and infant health and other health topics.

Related Resources

Association of State Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP)*
The AMCHP provides leadership on issues affecting the health of women and children. Members include directors of maternal and child health programs, directors of programs for children with special health care needs, adolescent health coordinators, and other public health leaders. Members of this national nonprofit organization also include academic, advocacy and community-based family health professionals, and families.

CityMatch*
This is a national membership organization of city and county health departments' maternal and child health (MCH) programs and leaders representing urban communities in the United States. 

Maternal Child Health (MCH) Library at Georgetown University*
This offers a variety of electronic resources, including the MCH Alert, knowledge paths, databases, and other materials developed for health professionals, policymakers, and families. The MCH Library is located at the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health at Georgetown University.

Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
 

 

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Page last reviewed: 11/25/08
Page last modified: 11/25/08
Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Maternal and Infant Health Research
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Programs & Campaigns

PRAMS
A surveillance project of CDC and state health departments. PRAMS collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences prior to, during and immediately following pregnancy.

MCH EPI
The Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program provides financial and technical support to states, and in some cases, time-limited assignments of senior epidemiologists to state maternal and child health programs.

"Back to Sleep" Campaign
Placing babies on their backs to sleep reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as "crib death."

DES Campaign
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a drug once prescribed during pregnancy to prevent miscarriages or premature deliveries.

Safe Motherhood Initiative*
The Safe Motherhood Initiative is a global effort that aims to reduce deaths and illnesses among women and infants, especially in developing countries.

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