The Alabama Department of Public Health's (ADPH) Maternal Mortality Review Program (MMRP) has received a $2.975 million boost from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Awarded through the CDC's ERASE MM Grant, this funding will be distributed over five years to bolster Alabama's efforts in understanding and preventing maternal deaths according to a news release.

Announced last week, the grant will enhance the capabilities of Alabama's Maternal Mortality Review Committee (AL-MMRC), a panel established in 2018 under the ADPH Bureau of Family Health Services. Comprising a diverse group of experts including obstetrician/gynecologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, emergency physicians, cardiologists, nurses, social workers and law enforcement, the AL-MMRC is tasked with reviewing maternal deaths that occur during pregnancy or within a year of delivery.

Meeting several times a year, the committee meticulously examines medical records and other relevant sources to determine whether a death was pregnancy-related and, crucially, whether it could have been prevented. The insights gained from these reviews are used to develop actionable recommendations aimed at reducing future maternal deaths.

Carolyn Miller, Perinatal Division Director at the Bureau of Family Health Services, emphasized the importance of this work.

"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," Miller said in the release.

The ERASE MM Grant will specifically enhance the AL-MMRC's data capabilities, reduce the time required to produce reports and increase the staff's ability to gather information through record abstraction and family interviews. Additionally, the grant will fund increased outreach efforts to educate the public on maternal death prevention.

"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," Miller added.