This monograph is the first comprehensive description of the Centers
for Disease Control's (CDC) many surveillance and data system activities related to the
health of women and children. It illustrates a number of critical public health concerns,
spanning the life cycle from infancy to reproductive-age women:
Public health professionals need information on the complexity of
health issues among women and children and the interactions of those concerns. A woman at
risk for unintended pregnancy is likely to also be at risk for sexually transmitted
diseases, including HIV infection. A pregnant woman who begins prenatal care late is at
greater risk for pregnancy morbidity and mortality, preterm birth, and early death of her
infant. Her child is at risk for inadequate vaccination coverage, poor nutrition, and
higher injury rates. When examining data on specific health issues, we must remember the
many aspects of the big picture for this population.
Accurate and timely data are important, even essential, for health
planning. CD's current systems can be useful in such planning, but as the commentaries
from our colleagues outside CDC note, current reporting systems may be incomplete. A
greater investment in data collection and analysis is needed to permit rapid application
to public health programs.
A dear potential exists for preventing and reducing many of the most
serious health problems of this population. Early and effective access to family planning,
prenatal care, and nutrition services are an important part of the solution to unintended
pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy morbidity, and early infant deaths.
Effective education and motivation toward healthful behavior can affect intrauterine
growth retardation, fetal alcohol syndrome, vaccine-preventable diseases, and injuries
among children and adolescents. Assessing the effectiveness of such prevention activities
will also require skilled collection and use of data.
This monograph also highlights the interactions and collaboration
thoughout the public health system to address women and children's health. Many programs
across CDC offer useful information for this population. CDC professionals, state and
local health officials, and representatives from non-governmental agencies, such as the
March of Dimes Foundation, need to communicate regularly with one another to understand
the useful collection and application of these and other data.
We are all committed to improving the health of women and children,
and we must continue to be vigilant in health surveillance. We hope this book will be
useful to our partners in the field of women and children's health.
David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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