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Updated: Dec 18, 2025
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Maternal Mortality From Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States
Torri D Metz1, Charlene Collier, Lisa M Hollier
1University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah; the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi; and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Insights
State maternal mortality review committees are crucial for analyzing maternal deaths, including those related to COVID-19. Expedited reviews and data submission can help prevent future deaths during the pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Maternal Health
Background:
- State maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) are vital for evaluating maternal deaths, identifying causes, and recommending preventive actions.
- The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique challenges to MMRC processes, with reported maternal deaths directly and indirectly linked to the virus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the continued importance of MMRCs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To highlight the need for comprehensive review of maternal deaths, including those indirectly related to the pandemic.
- To advocate for timely data submission to national systems for aggregated analysis.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing MMRC processes and their adaptation during public health crises.
- Consideration of data collection and submission protocols, including the Maternal Mortality Review Information Application (MMRIA).
- Analysis of the scope of review to encompass both direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mortality.
Main Results:
- MMRCs play a critical role in understanding and preventing maternal mortality, even during a pandemic.
- Rapid review and data entry into MMRIA can facilitate national-level insights.
- A comprehensive approach is necessary to capture all contributing factors to maternal deaths during the pandemic, including changes in healthcare access and practices.
Conclusions:
- MMRCs must adapt their processes to address the complexities of pandemic-related maternal deaths.
- Timely and accurate data aggregation is essential for effective public health interventions.
- Evaluating maternal deaths within the pandemic context is crucial for understanding and mitigating future risks.
Abstract:
Individual state maternal mortality review committees aim to comprehensively review all maternal deaths to not only evaluate the cause of death, but also to assess preventability and make recommendations for action to prevent future deaths. The maternal mortality review committee process remains critical during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Maternal deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported in the United States. Some state maternal mortality review committees may choose to expedite review of these deaths in an effort to quickly provide clinicians with information intended to prevent other deaths during the ongoing pandemic. If states opt to pursue rapid review, entry of data into the Maternal Mortality Review Information Application system for submission to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allow for aggregation nationally without duplication. It will be important to review not only deaths directly attributed to COVID-19, but also those that may be indirectly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as those influenced by changes in care practices or delays in seeking care during the pandemic. Therefore, regardless of the timing of the review, maternal deaths that occur during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic must be evaluated within that framework to ensure that all factors contributing to the death are considered to better understand the context of each of these tragic events.
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