CDC awards $2.975 million to Alabama maternal health committee

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded $2.975 million to the Alabama Department of Public Health Maternal Mortality Review Program through the ERASE MM Grant.

This funding, allocated over five years, will support Alabama’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

Established in 2018 under the ADPH Bureau of Family Health Services, the AL-MMRC comprises experts and stakeholders dedicated to addressing maternal health challenges in Alabama. Its members include professionals across many disciplines from medical professionals to law enforcement officers.

The AL-MMRC meets several times a year to review records and various sources of information related to maternal deaths that occurred during pregnancy or even up to a year after delivery. The committee assesses whether these deaths were related to the pregnancy itself and if they were preventable causes. After reviewing the data, the group formulates actionable recommendations to help prevent future maternal deaths.

Maternal mortality remains a pressing issue in Alabama. Currently, Alabama’s maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births is more than twice the national rate. Additionally, disparities exist among racial and socioeconomic groups, with Black women experiencing a maternal mortality rate nearly three times higher than white women in the state. 

These statistics underscore the need for enhanced efforts to address and reduce maternal deaths statewide. Carolyn Miller, Perinatal Division Director at the Bureau of Family Health Services, expressed gratitude for the support received from the Alabama Legislature since the program’s inception.

“The Alabama Legislature has generously supported the MMRP since its inception for staffing, outreach activities, the AL-MMRC, and the Maternal Autopsy Program. We appreciate their continued support as we work to improve maternal health in Alabama,” said Miller. 

The ERASE MM Grant will assist the AL-MMRC’s capabilities by improving data management, reducing the time needed to develop reports and increasing staff capacity for record abstraction and family interviews while enhancing public outreach efforts to prevent maternal deaths.

Miller emphasized the impact of the grant, stating, “Receiving the CDC ERASE MM Grant along with continued support from Alabama legislators will make a significant difference in striving to improve maternal health in our state and reduce our maternal mortality rate.”