Thursday, January 23, 2025
1/23/2025
Maternal mortality, or the death of a person during pregnancy or within one year of the end of the pregnancy, affects approximately 1,200 families each year in the United States. The pregnancy-associated mortality ratio (PAMR) in Nebraska from 2017-2021 was 41.6 deaths per 100,000 live births and pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) in the same timeframe was 11.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Nebraska Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) determined 82% of pregnancy-associated and 93% of pregnancy-related deaths occurring in years 2017-2021 to be preventable. The target population of the Nebraska MMRC is all pregnant and postpartum Nebraskan residents. While all pregnant and postpartum Nebraskans are at risk of experiencing severe maternal morbidity or mortality, two subpopulations disproportionately affected by pregnancy-related complications are being prioritized, geography and race or ethnicity. Nebraska has examined maternal mortality via a multidisciplinary MMRC since 2014. Nebraska state statute declares there is a need for the number and causes of maternal death to be examined through comprehensive review. There has been significant statewide investment and dedication to the MMRC since that time, with the committee and its role being incrementally developed. Nebraska MMRC intends to increase timeliness, accuracy, and standardization of information available about pregnancy-related deaths, including MMRC identified opportunities for prevention by fully operationalizing the MMRIA system, comprehensively identifying deaths in scope, implementing approaches for death record quality improvement, abstracting and reviewing all cases of maternal mortality in scope in a timely manner, exploring implementation of informant interviews, entering committee decision forms into MMRIA in a timely manner, and performing quarterly data quality assurance checks. Nebraska MMRC will also increase engagement and cooperation between partners and communities to communicate information from data on pregnancy-related deaths through maintenance of a multidisciplinary, diverse review committee. Finally, Nebraska MMRC will increase availability of MMRC recommendations among communities, clinicians, public health practitioners, and decision makers through establishment of analytic and dissemination plans, implementation of those plans, developing and sustaining bidirectional partnerships with communities, and leveraging partnerships to support action on MMRC information and informing practice, program, and policy changes. These partnerships will assist Nebraska MMRC’s focus to increase adoption of clinical and non-clinical policies and programs that reflect the highest standards of care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).