Maternal Mortality Review Program
Table of Contents
- Maternal Mortality in the United States
- Connecticut Maternal Mortality Review Program (MMRP)
- Connecticut Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC)
- Key documents for CT MMRC
- Resources for Parents
- Resources for Clinicians
- Connecticut Evaluation and Reports
- Media Campaigns
- Contact Information
Maternal Mortality in the United States
Maternal mortality is on the rise, in 2021, over 1200 women died nationally from pregnancy-related complications compared to 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzes Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS) data from the 52 reporting areas, and currently supports and collects data from 39 states and one US Territory Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs).
A pregnancy-related death is one that occurs during pregnancy or within one year of the end of a pregnancy from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by the pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy.
A pregnancy-associated death is one from any cause during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from a cause not related to the pregnancy.
For more definitions related to maternal mortality click here.
Recent PMSS and MMRC data indicate:
Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were determined to be preventable.
The leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths, nationally are:
- Mental health conditions
- Cardiovascular conditions (i.e. heart disease and stroke)
- Infection
- Hemorrhage
Read the most recent report discussing this, and other data, from the 36 MMRCs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 38 U.S. States, 2020.
New report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC): Advances describing the characteristics of pregnancy-related deaths due to cardiovascular conditions, including cardiomyopathy, from 2017-2019.
Connecticut Maternal Mortality Review Program
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) administers the CT Maternal Mortality Review Program (MMRP).
In June 2018, Connecticut Statute Section§19a-59i (a) was passed granting DPH the statutory authority to establish a MMRP and a Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) to conduct a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of maternal deaths for purpose of identifying factors associated with maternal deaths and to make recommendations to improve maternal outcomes and reduce preventable risks.
The CT MMRC examines all potential pregnancy-related deaths and identifies whether it was pregnancy-associated, pregnancy-related death, or not related or associated to the pregnancy.
Connecticut Maternal Mortality Review Committee
The chairpersons of the MMRC are the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee, and a representative designated by the CT State Medical Society.
Identified cases of potential pregnancy-related maternal mortality are reviewed by an inter-disciplinary Maternal Mortality Review Committee comprised of medical and non-medical personnel. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the MMRC determines the pregnancy-relatedness and makes recommendations to prevent subsequent deaths.
Utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Committee Decisions Form, V. 22, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee reviews de-identified case summaries to ensure consistency and uniformity in the case review process.
- Lost Mothers
- Kira Dixon YouTube Video
- 211 Postpartum Support Information
- Postpartum Support International
-
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-943-5746 (1-833-9-HELP4MOMS)
- 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy.
- Connecticut Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
- Racial and Ethnic Disparities Continue in Pregnancy-Related Deaths
- CDC Pregnancy Related Deaths
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development
- NICHHD Pregnancy and Maternal Conditions that Increase Risk of Morbidity and Mortality Workshop:
- Changing the conversation: applying a health equity framework to maternal mortality reviews.
- Identifying Racism & Discrimination as Contributing Factors in Pregnancy.
- DPH's Amniotic Fluid Embolism webpage
- Screening tools you might find helpful:
- ACCESS Mental Health for Moms program is now live! Your Link to Psychiatric Consultation, Support and Resources or call 833-978-MOMS (6667)
- CT MMR Evaluation Report 2015-2017
- CT MMR Evaluation Report 2017-2019
- CT MMR Evaluation Report 2015-2020
- CT MMRC Recommendations for 2020-2021 Deaths
- Pregnancy-Associated Deaths in Connecticut data from 2015-2020
- Pregnancy-Related Deaths in Connecticut data from 2015-2020
- Mental Health Conditions data from 2015-2020
- Intimate Partner Violence data from 2015-2020
- Severe Maternal Morbidity Report data from 2010-2020
MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
CDC's Hear Her Campaign
CDC's Hear Her Campaign seeks to raise awareness of potentially life-threatening warning signs during and after pregnancy and improve communication between patients and their healthcare providers. It helps increase awareness of serious pregnancy-related complications and their warning signs, empowers women to speak up and raise concerns, encourages women’s support systems to engage in important conversations with her and provides tools for women and providers to better engage in life-saving conversations.
CDC Hear Her Campaign Video Clip English Spanish
CT Media Campaign
The CT Maternal Mortality Program has developed a media campaign to encourage women to speak up during pregnancy, at birth and during the postpartum year about any concerns, and to encourage providers to listen actively to a woman's concerns. A woman knows her body best and how she feels. Go to ct.gov/hearher to learn more.
The goal is to encourage women to speak up during pregnancy, at birth and during the postpartum year about any concerns, and to encourage providers to listen actively to a women’s concerns. A woman knows her body best and how she feels.
Contact Information for the CT Maternal Mortality Review Program
Lisa Budris, MS, MPH Epidemiologist
E-mail: lisa.budris@ct.gov (860) 509-7840
or
Brooke Libby, MS, MPH Health Program Associate
E-mail: brooke.libby@ct.gov (860) 509-7187
or
Jennifer Squires Health Program Assistant
E-mail: jennifer.squires@ct.gov (860) 509-7412
Connecticut State Department of Public Health
Maternal Child Health and Access to Care Section
410 Capitol Avenue, MS# 11 MAT
Hartford, CT 06134-0308