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Iowa Maternal Mortality Review Committee first convened in November of 1970. The committee has 13 members, meets two to three times annually, and reviews all pregnancy-associated deaths (All deaths of women while pregnant or within on year of the end of pregnancy, due to any cause). In 2020, Our the State of Iowa had 37,597 live births and 5 pregnancy-related deaths. Our mission is to identify pregnancy-associated deaths, review those caused by pregnancy complications and other associated causes, and identify the factors contributing to these deaths and recommend public health and clinical interventions that may reduce these deaths and improve systems of care.

Contacts
Primary
Name
Stephanie Trusty
Credentials
RN, BSN
Title
Nurse Clinician
Affiliation
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
MMRC Role
Coordinator
Abstractor
Email
stephanie.trusty@idph.iowa.gov
Phone
515-418-7604
Secondary
Name
Stephen Pedron
Credentials
MBA, M.D.
Title
Obstetrician/Gynecologist/Maternal Fetal Medicine
Affiliation
UnityPoint Clinic Maternal Fetal Medicine
MMRC Role
Chair or Co-Chair
Phone
(319) 297-9350
Secondary
Name
Dr. Stephanie Radke
Credentials
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Title
M.D., MPH
Affiliation
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City
MMRC Role
Chair or Co-Chair
Clinical Leader for IMQCC and AIM for Iowa
Email
stephanie-radke@uiowa.edu
Phone
(319) 353-6095
Sources of Funding
ERASE MM
Yes
STATE MATERNAL HEALTH INNOVATION
Yes
TITLE V MCH SERVICES BLOCK GRANT
No
STATE BUDGET
No
Scope of cases reviewed
All pregnancy-associated deaths (All deaths of women while pregnant or within one year of the end of pregnancy, due to any cause)
Individuals, Disciplines, and Organizations Represented on Review
Organizations Core Disciplines Specialty Disciplines
Academic Institutions
Behavioral Health Agencies
Healthy Start Agencies
State Medical Society
Violence Prevention Agencies
Anesthesiology
Family Medicine
Forensic Pathology
Maternal Fetal Medicine/Perinatology
Nurse Midwifery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Patient Safety
Psychiatry
Public Health
Addiction Counseling
Mental Health Provider
Quality/Risk Management
Success Stories

Iowa Success Story: Government Collaboration for Social Media Seatbelt Campaign

The Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) and the Iowa Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (IMQCC), wanted to take action to reduce maternal mortality. We collaborated with key stakeholders including the Department of Transportation (DOT), Zero Fatalities, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and Safe Kids Iowa to create a statewide social media campaign to remind pregnant and postpartum women that seat belts are safe for mom and safe for baby. The campaign was from July 1- Sept. 30, 2020. The key messages are that pregnant women should wear a seatbelt as recommended: Buckling up through all stages of pregnancy is the single most effective action you can take to protect yourself and your unborn child in a crash; If you’re involved in a crash during pregnancy, even a minor impact could have major implications so contact your health care provider; NEVER drive or ride in a vehicle without buckling up first, no matter where you are seated. The Iowa MMRC developed a distribution plan of seat belt safety educational flyers, which will include healthcare providers, hospital, and community organization such as Title V agencies, WIC offices, and DOT driver’s license stations. 

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Iowa Success Story: Post Birth Warning Signs Education and Implementation

Through funding from a HRSA grant Maternal Health Innovation, awarded to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa is implementing statewide AWHONN’s (Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) POST-BIRTH Warning Signs (PBWS) Education and the POST-BIRTH Warning Signs Implementation Toolkit, a set of essential resources created by AWHONN. At least ten (10) nurses from each of Iowa’s birthing hospitals and two (2) nurses from each Title V block grant funded maternal and child health  agencies are being trained via the AWHONN POST-BIRTH Warning Signs online learning portal. These PBWS resources are designed to assist nurses in educating people about the signs and symptoms of potentially life-threatening conditions that can occur after they have given birth. AWHONN’s primary aim in developing the POST-BIRTH Warning Signs resources is to help hospitals in their efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates in the United States. 

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Iowa Success Story: Culturally Congruent Doula Project for African American/Black Pregnant Women

The Iowa Department of Public Health developed a data-to-action approach by implementing a pilot program where African American/Black pregnant women are linked with an African American/Black community-based doulas called the Iowa Department of Public Health Title V Culturally Congruent Doula Project for African American/Black Pregnant Women.

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State Materials
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Iowa Maternal Mortality Code
Iowa Department of Public Health
2001
Our work is authorized by Iowa Code Section 135.40 to 135.42 and 147.135.
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IOWA MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT
2021
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