Maternal mortality prevention

Maternal Mortality Prevention Program (MMPP):

  • Oversees the Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

  • Reviews medical records, police reports, coroner reports, and death certificates to collect information about the causes of death.

  • Shares information about people who die during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth.

  • Works to improve the health and safety of all pregnant and postpartum people.

Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC)

The MMRC is a group of health care providers, public health professionals, and people with lived experience that reviews causes of maternal deaths in Colorado. The group includes expertise in doula care, obstetrics/gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, midwifery, nursing, anesthesiology, forensic pathology, psychology, psychiatry, mental and behavioral healthcare, substance misuse, patient advocacy, rural health, social work, violence prevention, and public health.

The MMP program collects and reviews health records from each death and creates a case summary without any identifying information. These summaries are reviewed by the committee in order to:

  • Determine the annual number of maternal deaths in Colorado.

  • Determine whether the death was related to the pregnancy.

  • Discuss whether the death could have been prevented and if so, how it could have been prevented.

  • Identify trends and factors that might contribute to maternal deaths.

  • Develop and put into practice strategies that reduce and stop future deaths.

Capacity-Building Grants for Community-Based Organizations

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) recently granted the state of Colorado a $5 million grant through the State Maternal Health Innovation & Data Capacity Program. One activity of this grant is to fund community-led solutions to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity. For the first year of funding, CDPHE will award grants of up to $25,000 each for up to ten (10) community-based organizations for capacity-building activities. The organizations selected for funding must demonstrate how these capacity-building funds will be used to enhance the organization's ability to prevent maternal mortality and/or morbidity in Colorado through a focus on internal development rather than external project implementation. Priority will be given to organizations that reach under-invested communities with higher populations of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and/or non-metro areas.  

Eligible entities: Non-profit organizations or organizations pursuing non-profit status, community-based organizations, grassroots organizations, community health and public health organizations. Entities must be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State. 

Learn more and apply. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until funds are distributed.   

MMRC publications

Learn more about maternal mortality in Colorado and the United States by visiting CDC's resource portal.