North Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, Component A: Project Summary North Carolina has participated in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) project since November 1997. NC PRAMS is a survey that collects data on maternal attitudes and experiences prior to, during, and immediately after pregnancy for a sample of North Carolina women. North Carolina administers the PRAMS survey through a mail/telephone mixed mode system that includes up to three mailed surveys, followed by telephone contact for women who did not respond to the mailings. Each month, we randomly sample approximately 180 mothers from two birth weight strata (1) low birth weight (<2500 g), (2) normal birth weight (>2499 g). On average, we receive approximately 75% of the completed surveys via the mail phase, while an additional 25% are completed during the phone phase. NC PRAMS is a critical project because it provides data not available from other sources about the periods before, during, and after delivery. These data can be used to identify groups of women and infants at high risk for health problems, to monitor changes in health status, and to measure progress towards goals in improving the health of mothers and infants. North Carolina PRAMS informs policy makers, healthcare providers and the public about health of NC mothers and infants. PRAMS data are also used by state and local governments to plan and review programs and policies aimed at reducing health problems among mothers and babies.