State Estimates of Neonatal Health-Care Costs Associated with Maternal Smoking—United States, 1996
For the first time, CDC has released estimates for neonatal health care costs associated with a mother's smoking status while she was pregnant. Data is reported for each state, by mother's demographic characteristics, and insurance status. The estimates are generated using the Maternal and Child Health Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs (MCH SAMMEC) software.

Smoking During Pregnancy—United States, 1990–2002
In 2002, women were far less likely to smoke while pregnant than a decade ago. Rates of smoking during pregnancy in the United States have consistently declined since 1990. All states that have collected these data since 1990 had significantly lower rates in 2002, several, more than 50 percent lower. Teenage mothers 15 to 19 years of age continue to have high smoking rates. In fact, over this same time period, rates of smoking during pregnancy for teenagers increased in a few states.

Surveillance for Disparities in Maternal Health-Related Behaviors—Selected States, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS),
2000–2001
This report summarizes PRAMS data for 2000–2001 from eight states on four behaviors for which such disparities have been identified previously. Overall, the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy ranged from 9.0% to 17.4%, prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy ranged from 3.4% to 9.9%, prevalence of breastfeeding initiation ranged from 54.8% to 89.6%, and use of the back sleep position for infants ranged from 49.7% to 74.8%.

Racial/Ethnic Trends in Fetal Mortality—United States, 1990–2000
CDC analyzed 1990–2000 data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). The findings indicate substantial reductions in fetal deaths, primarily because of reductions in late fetal deaths (>28 weeks' gestation) compared with early fetal deaths (20–27 weeks' gestation). Despite these reductions, racial/ethnic disparities in fetal deaths persist, particularly among non-Hispanic blacks. Prevention strategies should recognize fetal deaths as a public health problem, improve fetal death surveillance and reporting, target etiologic research, and educate practitioners in identifying women at risk. 

Review the improved Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Report Form (SUIDIRF)
CDC is leading the national effort to improve the scope and quality of information collected and used to diagnose infant deaths.

Tenth Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference
Please join us at the 10th annual conference in Atlanta, GA, December 8–10, 2004.

Can Changes in Sexual Behaviors Among High School Students Explain the Decline in Teen Pregnancy Rates in the 1990s?
This recent article published in the Journal of Adolescent Health explores the national decline in teen pregnancy and birth rates. Overall, 53% of the decline in pregnancy rates can be attributed to decreased sexual experience and 47% to improved contraceptive use. These data suggest that both delayed initiation of sexual intercourse and improved contraceptive practice contributed equally to declines in pregnancy rates among high school-aged teens during the 1990s. Journal of Adolescent Health 2004 Aug;35(2):80–90.

Safe Motherhood: Promoting Health for Women Before, During, and After Pregnancy 2004, At A Glance

PFA for Windows (WinPFA)
WinPFA is the new Windows-compatible update of Patient Flow Analysis. These are software systems that document staff (or personnel) use and client (or patient) flow in health service clinics.