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Florida Maternal Mortality Review Committee
History
In 1996, the Florida Department of Health established the Florida Maternal Mortality Review Committee (Florida MMRC), formerly known as the Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (PAMR), to improve surveillance and analysis of pregnancy-related deaths in Florida. This case review program seeks to close gaps in care, identify systemic service delivery issues, and make recommendations to facilitate improvements in the overall systems of care.
Process
The process begins by identifying all pregnancy-associated deaths within a specified period. A pregnancy-associated death is defined as "a death to a woman from any cause, while she is pregnant or within one year of termination of the pregnancy, regardless of duration and site of the pregnancy." A pregnancy-associated death is identified utilizing linked data files from four sources associated with the mother:
- Death certificates identified by the assigned cause of death being in the category of Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium (pregnancy related)
- Florida's Prenatal Risk Screen (formerly known as the Healthy Start screen)
- Birth Certificate/Fetal death certificate
- Death certificates with a checked box identifying the woman as either pregnant at time of death, pregnant within 42 days of death, or pregnant between 43 days to one year before death.
Once the pregnancy-associated deaths are identified, they are sorted by a physician/nurse subcommittee and initially deemed pregnancy-related, possibly pregnancy-related or not pregnancy-related. The focus of Florida MMRC is to assure that all deaths identified as pregnancy-related deaths are reviewed.
Definitions
A pregnancy-related death is defined as “a pregnancy-associated death resulting from one of the following:
- Complications of the pregnancy itself,
- The chain of events initiated by the pregnancy that led to death,
- Aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic or pharmacologic effects of the pregnancy that subsequently caused the death. "
It is important to note that Maternal Mortality Rates (MMR) reported by the Office of Vital Statistics are based on deaths identified by the assigned cause of death being in a pregnancy related category and in recent years by the addition of a pregnancy check box on the death certificate. Vital Statistics defines maternal mortality as "the death to a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.”
Through the utilization of a broader definition, as well as the increased sources of linked data, the Florida MMRC is able to assess more accurately the pregnancy-related deaths in Florida.
Urgent Maternal Mortality Message to Providers
To view the urgent maternal mortality message to providers you can click on the links below.
Reports and Updates
Florida MMRC Infographics
Florida's Maternal Mortality Review Committee Annual Update Reports
Florida's Maternal Mortality Review Committee 2020
Florida's Maternal Mortality Review Committee 2019 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2018 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2017 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2016 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2015 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2014 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2013 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2012 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2011 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2010 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2009 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review 2008 Update
Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review, 2007 Update
Pregnancy-Related Death Briefs
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hemorrhage, 2010-2019
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hypertensive Disorders, Florida 1999-2018
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Cardiovascular Diseases, 1999-2017
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Venous Thromboembolism, 2007-2016
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hemorrhage, 2003-2015
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Cardiomyopathy, 2005-2014 Brief
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Infection, 2005-2014 Brief
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hypertensive Disorders, 1999-2012 Brief
Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hemorrhage, 1999-2012 Brief
Pregnancy-Related Deaths during the Postpartum Period 1999-2011Pregnancy-Related Deaths Due to Hemorrhage, 1999-2012 Brief
Pregnancy-Related Deaths during the Postpartum Period 1999-2010
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Last Modified Date: Dec 15, 2023 3:59:50 PM
Last Reviewed Date: Dec 15, 2023 3:59:50 PM