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Maternal & Child Health Programs

 

Requirements for Perinatal HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral: A Toolkit for Physicians

 

New regulations were approved in December 2009, following the enactment of the 2008 HIV/AIDS legislation aimed at reducing barriers to HIV testing in Maryland.  A toolkit was developed by the Center in collaboration with the Infectious Disease and Environmental Health Administration, DHMH, which includes the latest information regarding HIV counseling, testing, and referral requirements in Maryland. Click here to download the Perintal HIV Toolkit.

 

 

Maryland Infant Mortality Rate Drops to 10 Year Low

 

Secretary Colmers, DHMH, announced to members of the Maryland Assembly’s Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families that the infant mortality rate for Maryland declined to the lowest annual rate in 10 years.  Preliminary data shows a statewide rate of 7.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2009, a 10 percent drop from 8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2008.  Reducing infant mortality is one of Governor O’Malley’s 15 Strategic Policy Goals.  Efforts for reducing infant mortality are focused in three Maryland jurisdictions:  Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, and Somerset County. To read full article, click here.

For more information on the DHMH and Local Health Department infant mortality efforts, click on the following links:

DHMH Family Health Administration

Baltimore City Health Department, B'more for Healthy Babies

 

Baltimore City FIMR/HIV Prevention Project

 

The Center for a Healthy Maryland, has partnered with Sinai Hospital Women, Children, and Youth HIV Program to participate in the FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology from CityMatCH, CDC, and NFIMR for a one year pilot project from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010. This project looks at cases of prenatal HIV exposure using the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review methodology of case review and community action. 

 

Similar to FIMR, FIMR/HIV case review will look at systems issues and identify opportunities for improvement within health and human service systems within the city of Baltimore.  Project findings and recommendations will be shared with the Baltimore City FIMR Community Action Team and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 

 

For more information on the FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology, please visit the FIMR/HIV National Resource Center.

 

Maryland Fetal and Infant Mortality Review


Maryland’s Infant Mortality Rate has consistently ranked above the national average, even though Maryland is one of the wealthiest states in the country. The Maryland Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) is a statewide effort to better understand the issues associated with fetal and infant mortality and morbidity, and to develop strategies to improve perinatal systems of care, both at the local and state level.

MedChi works in partnership with the Center for Maternal and Child Health, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to provide technical assistance to the 18 local FIMR programs that cover the 24 local jurisdictions in Maryland: Baltimore City, 15 county-based, and two regional programs on the Eastern Shore. Technical Assistance includes attending Case Review or Community Action Team meetings, conducting regional and statewide Advisory Board meetings, providing trainings, assisting with action planning, and producing an annual report of local program activities.

For more information about Fetal and Infant Mortality Review, visit www.NFIMR.org.

For more information about Maternal and Perinatal Health Programs in Maryland, please visit the Family Health Administration.

 

Maryland Maternal Mortality Review

 

The Maternal Mortality Review Program examines deaths among resident women while pregnant or within one year of having been pregnant, in order to identify opportunities to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. The Program is conducted in collaboration with MedChi’s Maternal and Child Health Subcommittee, the Center for Maternal and Child Health, and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The Program develops recommendations and identifies strategies to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, taking into account both medical and non-medical factors contributing to the death, while examining quality and content of care. For the past several years, the Program has reviewed an average of 38 cases per year.

For more information, please visit the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

 

HIV/AIDS - Preventing Perinatal HIV Transmission

 

In past years, an estimated 92% of AIDS cases reported among children less than 13 years old in the US were attributed to perinatal or mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Transmission can occur during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding. Recent reductions in perinatal transmission are attributed to routine screening of pregnant women to identify those infected with HIV and the use of anti-retroviral drugs for treatment and prophylaxis. Rates of HIV transmission from an infected mother to her infant have been reduced to less than 2%, compared to 25%-30% with no interventions.

The Baltimore Regional Perinatal Advisory Group (RPAG) works to optimize the health of pregnant women and newborn infants in the Baltimore region through education, advocacy and information sharing. RPAG has developed “Preventing Perinatal HIV Transmission: A Clinician’s Toolkit for Testing Counseling and Referral,” which can be accessed at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/perinatal.

For more information about HIV/AIDS, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Please click here for more information on the Center for a Healthy Maryland’s activities on HIV/AIDS, including the 2007 changes to the HIV/AIDS reporting law.

 

Maternal Depression - Improving Diagnosis and Treatment in Maryland

 

Maternal depression occurs anywhere from pregnancy up to 12 months following delivery, and is the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting 10–15 percent of all women. With support from the Aetna Foundation, the Center for a Healthy Maryland is building on previous efforts to enable clinicians to diagnose and manage maternal depression by increasing their awareness of the disorder and providing them with tools for use with their pregnant and postpartum patients.

Improved diagnosis and treatment of maternal depression will result in more women getting the necessary care to better care for themselves, their infants and family.

 

Resources

 

Postpartum Depression Helpline: 1-800-773-6667 available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

FASD – Preventing Alcohol Use During Pregnancy

 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a broad term that describes the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible life-long implications. FASD is also one of the leading-known preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects.

The Center applied the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review approach to examine why some women drink during pregnancy, the current services and resources available, and opportunities for working with the community to assist at-risk women in avoiding alcohol use during pregnancy.

The Maryland FASD Coalition is working to increase awareness of the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy among health and social services professionals, substance abuse treatment program staff, juvenile services agency staff, the faith community, businesses and industry. Please visit the Maryland FASD Coalition for more information.

 

Resources
Center for Infant and Child Loss

 

The Center for Infant & Child Loss works with Maryland families and communities facing the sudden unexpected death of their infant or child as they learn to live with their loss. The Center is committed to increasing the understanding of sudden infant and child death, risk reduction practices, grief, and compassionate intervention.

Their WEBSITE offers resources on counselling and support services, outreach and education, risk reduction and current research.

 

Contact Information

 

For more information on Maternal and Child Health Programs, please contact:

Erin Johnson , M.P.H.
Program Coordinator
Phone: 410-539-0872 or 800-492-1056, ext. 3342
Fax: 410-649-4131
Email: ejohnson@medchi.org

 

Last Updated 7/29/2010