The mPINC survey: Impacting US maternity care practices

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2007-2015, is a census of US birth facilities.
• It was designed to monitor infant feeding-related maternity care practices and policies nationwide.
• Significant advancements in maternity care practices supporting infant nutrition have been observed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the diverse applications of the mPINC survey data.
• To highlight its role as a tool for improving care by hospitals, organizations, and governmental bodies.
• To showcase its utility in documenting national improvements in infant feeding care.

Main Methods:

• The mPINC survey collected data from all US birth facilities between 2007 and 2015.
• The data was utilized by various stakeholders, including healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers.
• A revised mPINC survey was developed in 2018 to track recent changes in maternity care.

Main Results:

• mPINC data has been instrumental in documenting substantial improvements in infant feeding-related maternity care across the US.
• Hospitals, health organizations, and government agencies have leveraged mPINC findings to enhance patient care.
• Researchers have effectively used mPINC data to investigate critical questions concerning maternity care practices and policies.

Conclusions:

• The mPINC survey serves as a vital tool for assessing and improving maternity care practices and policies.
• Continued use of the mPINC survey, including its revised 2018 version, will support efforts to ensure comprehensive breastfeeding support in US maternity care.
• The data facilitates evidence-based decision-making for optimizing infant nutrition and care within healthcare settings.