Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Nov 2021
Integrating National Violent Death Reporting System Data into Maternal Mortality Review Committees.
Background: With the Maternal Mortality Review Information Application (MMRIA) data system, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alongside Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), are developing comprehensive and uniform data collection to eradicate preventable maternal deaths. However, MMRIA is primarily focused on pregnancy-related deaths, and not pregnancy-associated deaths. Currently, the National Violent Death Reporting System Restricted Access Data (NVDRS-RAD) on pregnancy-associated homicides and suicides are not included in MMRIA and by extension the work of most MMRCs. ⋯ Pregnant women were found to be five times more likely to die by homicide than their nonpregnant peers who died by violent means. The relationships between periods of pregnancy and manner of death were all found to be significantly associated although the association was weak. Conclusions: Integrating National Violent Death Reporting System data on pregnancy-associated deaths into MMRIA would improve the efficacy of MMRCs and address the intertwined risk factors driving the racial disparities of the United States' maternal mortality rate.