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Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance (MMMS) Program - Action

Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance Recommendations Workgroup

In June 2022, the Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance (MMMS) Program assembled the Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance Recommendations Workgroup to translate Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) recommendations into quality improvement actions at the provider, facility, system, community and patient levels.

Through strategic planning, the recommendations workgroup identified three priority recommendations for implementation which include:

  1. The committee and MI-AIM staff will work toward full implementation of the AIM safety bundles: Obstetric Hemorrhage, Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy; Maternal Sepsis, while working to adopt & implement the following safety bundles:
      • Safe Reduction of Primary Cesarean Birth (+AIM)
      • Cardiac Conditions in Obstetric Care
      • Care for Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorder
      • Perinatal Mental Health Conditions
      • Postpartum Discharge transition
  2. Implement a comprehensive state-wide education initiative to address pregnancy and its intersection with mental health, sexual abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV), trauma, substance use, and chronic health conditions, as well as its increased occurrence in populations of birthing persons who are most vulnerable and marginalized.

  3. Offer birthing persons wrap-around services to help align systems of care and transform every interaction into a potential opportunity for change.

The MMMS Logic Model offers a visual representation of the activities and intended outcomes of workgroup efforts.

For more information about the Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance Program, please contact Melissa Limon-Flegler, MMMS Program Coordinator, at (517) 284-4230 or limonfleglerm1@michigan.gov.

Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health

One of the most significant programs to emerge from previous MMMS recommendations is the MI-AIM (Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health) project. MI-AIM is the Michigan public-private partnership initiative that is part of a major national program to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. The AIM Program was initiated by the Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has supported the AIM initiative. Thirteen states and more than 667 hospitals have implemented maternal safety best practices to improve the quality and safety of maternity care.

In Michigan, the focus is on improving care for maternal hemorrhage and hypertension, as well as increasing birth spacing to prevent high-risk pregnancies. To address these concerns, Michigan used the obstetric hemorrhage and severe hypertension AIM bundles to establish guidelines into practice with a standard approach.

 

Mother Infant Health and Equity Improvement Plan

The Michigan Mortality Surveillance (MMS) Program provided recommendations that helped to guide the development of the 2020-2023 Mother Infant Health and Equity Improvement Plan (MIHEIP). The MIHEIP brings together maternal and infant stakeholders as well as private and public partners to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for mothers and infants in Michigan. Understanding that there are many environmental and social factors that influence maternal and infant health, the MIHEIP focuses on reducing the disparity between women and infants of color in comparison to women and infants of non-color.  Cross-sector work is needed to improve health outcomes overall and reduce disparities. 

The MIHEIP six primary priorities are:

  • Health Equity
  • Healthy Girls, Women & Mothers
  • Optimal Birth Spacing & Intended Pregnancies
  • Full Term, Healthy Weight Babies
  • Infants Safely Sleeping
  • Mental, Emotional & Behavioral Well-Being

For your convenience, the MIHEIP and the MIHEIP Appendices are available for download at www.michigan.gov/MIHEIP.

As we experience improvements in maternal and infant health, it’s important to align our small victories so that we can achieve our ultimate goal of Zero Preventable Deaths and Zero Health Disparities.

Hear Her Michigan

The Hear Her Michigan campaign aims to support efforts to raise awareness of potentially life-threatening warning signs and maternal health risks. Information for policymakers and maternal health advocates, as well as Michigan-specific resources are also highlighted.

 

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