Ellen M Hutchins, ScD, MSW, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Parklawn Bldg - Room 10C-16, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Cynthia Berg, MD, MPH, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop K23 Koger Bldg, Atlanta, GA 30333, 7704886262, cjb3@cdc.gov, and Justine Desmarais, MPH, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1220 19th Street, NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036.

Every year almost 1000 women die of pregnancy-related complications in the United States. Black women have a four times greater risk for pregnancy-related death. While several states have convened maternal mortality review (MMR)committees to address this problem, frequently they have been medically focused in terms of membership of committee members and contributing factors discussed. Recently, states are taking a broader, more interdisciplinary approach to MMR, moving these committees from the previous medical society approach to one where the state has the lead and includes other discipines, such as domestic violence experts, and mental health specialists. In September 2003, an invitational meeting on MMR was held on behalf of the Safe Motherhood Partnership, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also served as a partner for this meeting. Representatives from 9 states participated in this meeting with the goal of developing a description of promising practices and challenges encountered in the following areas: 1)MMR committee structure, organization, and composition; 2)data collection; 3)dissemination and implementation of findings; 4)improving MMR programs and outcomes. This paper will summarize some of the key findings reported by these states that can serve to assist other states who are either considering starting an MMR or expanding their MMR committee to one that is more interdisciplinary.

Learning Objectives:

• 1)Describe historical trends in how states have addressed maternal mortality, 2)Discuss findings of invitational meeting with 9 states describing how they have moved to a more interdisciplinary, state-based review, 3)Provide recommendations for other states to consider as they begin or expand their maternal mortality review committee.

Keywords: Maternal Health, Mortality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.