Implement
Maternal Mortality Review Information Application - MMRIA
Although maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) have been in place for some time, there has never been a standardized data system available to support essential review functions. MMRIA, or "Maria," reflects lessons learned from implementing a previous version of the system, the Maternal Mortality Review Data System (MMRDS), among 13 state MMRCs.
MMRIA is designed to support and standardize:
- Data abstraction
- Case narrative development
- Documentation of committee decisions
- Routine analysis
MMRIA is free and publicly available. However, states and jurisdictions interested in using MMRIA work in close partnership with the Building U.S. Capacity to Review and Prevent Maternal Deaths team at CDC. The team provides programmatic assistance to help committees use the system effectively and reduce duplicative processes during abstraction, case review, and analysis.
- Visit mmria.org to learn more.
- Get in touch!
- MMRIA is regularly updated with system and feature improvements. The team will provide instructions for downloading and installing new versions, while preserving your existing data. Work in close partnership with the CDC team in completing these steps.
MMRIA is much more than a data system – it supports developing a common language for reviews to work together. It supports the breadth of scope and processes of MMRCs, recognizing that no two MMRCs are the same, but all can work toward a shared vision. Therefore the MMRIA project includes numerous resources for each step of a standard approach to case review. To see all MMRIA materials, visit the Review to Action Resource Center. Below are some key highlights:
- Abstractor Manual: This manual is an in-depth guide to case abstraction, intended for abstractors both seasoned and new to their positions.
- MMRC Facilitation Guide: This guide is intended to help maternal mortality review committees establish processes for case review. The guide is structured in the order of the steps a committee might take in conducting an actual review committee meeting.
- Committee Decisions Form: This form is a recommended format for documenting key decisions and recommendations made by the MMRC. It maps back to the fields in MMRIA for ease-of-entry during or after committee meetings.
- Case Identification Process: This diagram describes the process used for case identification, abstraction, review and data system entry.
What is this report?
A report of data from nine states using a standard data-collection system provides an in-depth analysis of causes of death, preventability and specific recommendations for action.
For example:
• It confirms that most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable and highlights key opportunities for prevention.
• Nearly half of all pregnancy-related deaths were caused by hemorrhage, cardiovascular and coronary conditions, cardiomyopathy or infection.
• Causes of death differ by race, which highlights unique opportunities for prevention.
