Tribally-led Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs)

Background

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations face a significant maternal mortality burden. Specifically, AI/AN women are two to three times more likely to die of pregnancy or birth complications than non-Hispanic white women. While these committees are extremely valuable, there are currently no Tribally-led MMRCs and very few state MMRCs have Tribal representation.

With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health NIHB is working to assist Tribes and Tribal organizations in exploring the possibilities of designing and implementing Tribally-led MMRCs.

Maternal Mortality Review Committees

Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) are multidisciplinary committees that currently convene at the state or local level to comprehensively review deaths of women during or within a year of their pregnancy. The goal of the review process is to identify and implement recommendations to inform public health and clinical improvements to reduce maternal deaths and to improve wellness. MMRCs have shown that two out of every three pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

Tribally-led Maternal Mortality Review Committees (fact sheet, pdf)

Review Committee Models

Review to Action

Review to Action is a resource supported by the Association of Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM), administered by the CDC, partnership. Its goal is to promote and support state-led MMRCs as the best way to understand and address maternal mortality. Review to Action also has a resources center to support planning and implementing an MMRC. To learn more, click the link below.

https://reviewtoaction.org/

National Indian Health Board’s Maternal and Child Health team attended the 2023 MMRIA User Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, with Tribal Partners.

NIHB Contacts: