Maternal mortality prevention

The Maternal Mortality Prevention Program reviews deaths of Colorado women that happen during pregnancy or up to one year after giving birth. The review process helps us identify public health and clinical care decisions that can improve the health and safety of women.

Maternal Mortality in Colorado, 2014-2016
Maternal Mortality Prevention (MMP) Program:

  • 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 healthcare providers and public health professionals that reviews causes of maternal deaths in Colorado. The group includes people from obstetrics/gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, midwifery, nursing, anesthesiology, forensic pathology, psychology, psychiatry, mental and behavioral healthcare, substance misuse, 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.

MMRC publications
Learn More

  • Learn more about maternal mortality in Colorado and the United States by visiting CDC's resource portal: www.ReviewToAction.org.