Maternal and Infant Health: Home |
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Pregnancy-Related Illness
Approximately 6 million pregnancies occur each year in the United States.
Although maternal death is the most extreme adverse pregnancy outcome, a
much greater number of women are affected by pregnancy-related complications
or morbidities, such as hemorrhage,
ectopic (tubal) pregnancy,
pregnancy-induced hypertension, infection, and depression.
Maternal morbidity is defined as any physical or psychological condition
resulting from pregnancy that has an adverse affect on the woman’s health.
Maternal morbidities may result in hospitalization or in outpatient
treatment and management, or they may never come to the attention of the
health care system.
Previous work examining pregnancy-related illness relied predominantly on
large computerized hospital discharge data systems, either national or
state-based, which provided basic administrative data as well as ICD codes
for inpatient diagnoses and procedures. However, the delivery of health care
has changed and hospitalizations for pregnancy-related complications have
decreased markedly. Neither complications nor disparities in complications
can be fully addressed because data sources, such as hospital discharge
systems, are inadequate and do not reflect care provided in settings other
than hospitals. Several projects are underway in CDC to address challenges
associated with measuring and reducing pregnancy-related illness.
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy (CM) is a disease of heart muscle (myocardium),
which can cause heart failure. A special type of CM, peripartum
cardiomyopathy (PPCM), is unique to pregnant or recently pregnant women. The etiology is unclear, though it is likely to be associated with the
interaction of several factors. Diagnostic criteria for PPCM are: 1) the
development of cardiac failure in the last month of pregnancy or 5 months
post-partum; 2) no recognizable heart disease prior to then; 3) no
identifiable cause of heart failure; and 4) left ventricular dysfunction.
CDC has funded and is collaborating with university
researchers and clinicians to explore establishing a state-based cohort of
women with PPCM. This population-based study would enlist clinicians and
echocardiography labs, as well as link birth records with hospital
discharge records, to better understand this high-risk condition of
pregnancy.
Pregnancy-Related Depression
It is estimated that 13% of postpartum women experience
depression. Depression has significant effects on women’s relationships,
their ability to nurture their newborn, and their overall quality of
life. Effective treatments exist for depression, but because many women
are unaware of their depression or because of the social stigma of
depression, many women do not disclose their symptoms to their medical
provider.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends
screening adults for depression in clinical practices that have systems in
place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up. Because depression screening and treatment issues are different for
pregnant and lactating women than in non-pregnant populations, the
findings from primary care clinics serving non-pregnant patients may not
apply to pregnant and postpartum populations, and there are no clear
recommendations for screening during pregnancy or the postpartum period. However, there is evidence that routine depression screening of women in
obstetric or in pediatric settings is feasible and will increase the
detection of depression and referrals for services.
Scientists in CDC are collaborating with
PRAMS states,
university researchers, and a large managed care organization
in several projects to determine optimal ways to screen women for
pregnancy-related depression with the goal of developing and enhancing
strategies to reduce its incidence and impact.
Preconception
Care
Preconception care is recognized as a critical component of health care for
women of reproductive age
…more
Preconception Care (March of Dimes)
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/preconception.asp*
Division of Reproductive Health's Maternal Health, Infant
Health, and Preterm Delivery
In the United States each year, approximately six million women become
pregnant. While most women have a normal term pregnancy and deliver a normal
infant, a safe and healthy pregnancy is not the experience of all women
...more
Smoking During Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy is the single most preventable cause of illness and
death among mothers and infants.
Reducing Tobacco Use
Since 1987, the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) has conducted
research and surveillance on tobacco use and pregnancy. DRH collaborates
with researchers from the Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for
Environmental Health, and the National Center for Birth Defects and
Disabilities.
PRAMS and Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is an important maternal and child health concern that
affects the emotional well being of mothers, as well as marital
relationships, mother-infant bonding, and infant behavior
...more
Safe Motherhood: Promoting Health for Women Before, During, and After
Pregnancy 2008, At A Glance
CDC continues to focus on monitoring pregnancy-related deaths and
complications, identifying effective prevention strategies, research to
improve maternal and child health, and assisting state health departments to
improve programs for women and infants
...more
Maternal and Child Health Journal
Special Issue; The Social Context of Pregnancy for African-American Women
Abstracts
The journal outlines results of qualitative and quantitative research to
identify potential new risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Maternal and Child Health Journal Special
Issue; Safe Motherhood in the United States Abstracts
The journal outlines some of the major research, health care practice, and
policy issues pertaining to safe motherhood.
International Surveys
Reproductive health surveys collect data on maternal and infant health in
developing
countries
..more
Pregnancy
Wildfires: Information for Pregnant
Women and Parents of Young Infants
National Diabetes Education Program
(NIH)
Listeriosis and Pregnancy (USDA)
Questions and Answers About Breastfeeding (National Women's Health Information Center)
Parvovirus B19 Infection and Pregnancy
Parvovirus B19 is a virus that commonly infects humans; about 50% of all
adults have been infected sometime during childhood or adolescence
...more
Group B streptococcal disease (GBS)
GBS is a type of bacterium that causes illness in newborn babies, pregnant
women, the elderly, and adults with other illnesses, such as diabetes or
liver disease. It is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in
newborns ...more
Having a Healthy Pregnancy
A woman can take some actions that increase her chance of having a healthy
baby.
Healthy Pregnancy
Information (National Women's Health Information Center)
Medication Use During Pregnancy
and Breastfeeding
Many pregnant women or mothers who are breastfeeding worry about whether to
take medications …more
Pregnancy,
Diabetes, and Women's Health
Some women have diabetes only
when they’re pregnant. This condition, which is called gestational
diabetes, can be controlled just like other kinds of diabetes.
STDs and
Pregnancy
Women who are pregnant can become infected with the same STDs as women who
are not pregnant. Pregnancy does not provide women or their babies any
protection against STDs
…more
Postpartum Depression
Fact sheet (National Women's Health Information Center)
Also available in
Spanish
Guidelines for
Vaccinating Pregnant Women
Immunization
and Pregnancy Flyer
Immunization Action Coalition*
The Immunization Action Coalition works to increase immunization rates and
prevent disease by creating and distributing educational materials for
health professionals and the public …more.
Immunizations for Women*
Patient education information from the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists (ACOG).
Publication on Maternal and Infant Health
Prevention of Pertussis, Tetanus, and Diphtheria Among Pregnant and
Postpartum Women and Their Infants. Recommendations of the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Source: MMWR 2008;57(Early
Release):1–47.
Source: MMWR
2007 / 56(50);1312–1316.
Preconception and Interconception Health Status of Women Who Recently
Gave Birth to a Live-Born Infant—Pregnancy
Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), United States, 26 Reporting
Areas, 2004 Source: MMWR
2007;56(SS10);1–35.
QuickStats: Percentage of All Live Births by Cesarean Delivery—National
Vital Statistics System, United States, 2005 Source: MMWR
2007;56(15):373.
Use of
Dietary Supplements Containing Folic Acid Among Women of Childbearing
Age—United States, 2005 Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious birth defects of the spine (spina
bifida) and brain (anencephaly), affecting approximately 3,000 pregnancies
each year in the United States. Source: MMWR
2005;54(38);955–958.
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule—United States, October
2006—September 2007
The Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule has been approved
Source: MMWR 2006;55(40);Q1–Q4.
Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and
Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings
The recommendations address HIV testing in health-care settings only
Source: MMWR
2006;
55(RR14);1–17.
Recommendations to Improve Preconception Health and Health
Care—United States.
This report provides recommendations to improve both preconception
health and care.
Source: MMWR 2006;55(RR06):1–23.
Use of
Dietary Supplements Containing Folic Acid Among Women of Childbearing
Age—United States, 2005 Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious birth defects of the spine (spina
bifida) and brain (anencephaly), affecting approximately 3,000 pregnancies
each year in the United States.
Source: MMWR
2005;54(38):955–958.
HIV Testing in
Health-Care Settings
Emerging infectious disease outbreaks: old lessons and new
challenges for obstetrician-gynecologists.
This article summarizes a review of literature on three recent disease
outbreaks: SARS, West Nile virus, and anthrax. The article highlights
the need for obstetricians and gynecologists to keep current with new
information about emerging infectious disease threats. This message is
especially important to these physicians, given their role as primary
healthcare providers for women. American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology 2006;194(6):1546–1555.
The
Magnitude of Maternal Morbidity During Labor and Delivery, United States,
1993–1997
More than 40% of U.S. women experience some type of complication
during childbirth, beyond what would be expected in a normal delivery
...more
CDC's Office of
Genomics
Provides information about human genomic discoveries and how they can be
used to improve health and prevent disease. It also provides links to CDC
wide activities in public health genomics across the lifespan
…more
CDC's Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance
System (PedNSS) and the Pregnancy Surveillance System (PNSS)
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, October 1,
1999 / Vol. 48 / No. 38.
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Page last reviewed:
5/15/08
Page last modified: 5/15/08
Content source: Division
of Reproductive Health,
National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion |