Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM)

Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) are multidisciplinary committees that convene at the state or local level to comprehensively review deaths that occur during or within a year of pregnancy (pregnancy-associated deaths). They include representatives from public health, obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, nursing, midwifery, forensic pathology, mental and behavioral health, patient advocacy groups, and community-based organizations. CDC works with MMRCs to improve review processes that inform recommendations for preventing future deaths.

Support for MMRCs

CDC has made 46 awards, supporting 44 states and two US territories for the Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) Program. This funding directly supports agencies and organizations that coordinate and manage Maternal Mortality Review Committees to identify, review, and characterize pregnancy-related deaths; and identify prevention opportunities. This work will:

  • Facilitate an understanding of the drivers of maternal mortality and complications of pregnancy and better understand the associated disparities.
  • Determine what interventions at patient, provider, facility, system, and community levels will have the most effect.
  • Inform the implementation of initiatives in the right places for families and communities who need them most.

States and US Territories Funded Through ERASE MM

Maternal Mortality Review Information Application

MMRIA logo

Maternal Mortality Review Information Application (MMRIA, or “Maria”) is a data system designed to facilitate MMRC functions through a common data language. CDC, in partnership with users from the committees and other subject matter experts, developed the system. It is available to all MMRCs.

Reports

Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 US States, 2017–2019, is a data brief released by CDC with data on pregnancy-related deaths among residents of 36 US states from 2017–2019.

Pregnancy-Related Deaths Among American Indian or Alaska Native Persons: Data from MMRCs in 36 US States, 2017–2019, is a brief which provides a more in-depth examination of pregnancy-related deaths among American Indian or Alaska Native persons.

Circumstances Contributing to Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 US States, 2017–2019, is a brief which describes four circumstances contributing to pregnancy-related deaths.

Articles

Trost SL, Beauregard J, Petersen EE, Cox S, Chandra G, St Pierre A, Rodriguez M, Goodman D. Identifying Deaths During and After Pregnancy: New Approaches to a Perennial Challenge. Public Health Rep. 2023;138(4):567-572.

Barrera C, Kramer MR, Merkt PT, Petersen EE, Brantley MD, Eckhaus L, Beauregard JL, Goodman DA. County-Level Associations Between Pregnancy-Related Mortality Ratios and Contextual Sociospatial Indicators. Obstet Gynecol. 2022.

Trost SL, Beauregard JL, Smoots AN, Ko JY, Haight SC, Moore Simas TA, Byatt N, Madni SA, Goodman D. Preventing Pregnancy-Related Mental Health Deaths: Insights From 14 US Maternal Mortality Review Committees, 2008-17. Health Aff (Millwood). 2021 Oct;40(10):1551-1559. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00615. PMID: 34606354.

Callahan T, Zaharatos J, St Pierre A, Merkt PT, Goodman D. Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality. Womens Health (Larchmt). 2021;30(8):1068-1073.

Kramer M, Strahan A, Preslar J, Zaharatos J, St Pierre A, Grant J, Davis N, Goodman D, Callaghan W. Changing the conversation: applying a health equity framework to maternal mortality reviews. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Dec;221(6):609.e1-609.e9.

St Pierre A, Zaharatos J, Goodman D, Callaghan WM. Challenges and opportunities in identifying, reviewing, and preventing maternal deaths. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(1):138–142.

Zaharatos J, St Pierre A, Cornell A, Pasalic E, Goodman D. Building U.S. capacity to review and prevent maternal deaths. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018;27(1):1–5.

Shellhaas CS, Zaharatos J, Clayton L, Hameed AB. Examination of a death due to cardiomyopathy by a maternal mortality review committee. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 ;221(1):1–8.