Major Projects of the Division of Maternal and Child Health Research and Analysis

Learn about our projects.

• Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Dashboard: Massachusetts has created the first statewide Neonatal abstinence syndrome (also called NAS) dashboard of key metrics to monitor the care of families affected by perinatal substance misuse. The purpose of the dashboard is to provide population-level measurements to clinical providers, public health workers, and community agencies. The dashboard includes data that address a variety of different measures across three key time periods: pregnancy (prenatal), birth (neonatal), and infancy (post discharge).
• Oral Health Practice Guidelines for Pregnancy and Early Childhood: Pregnant women are at risk of certain oral conditions such as enamel erosion, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, loose teeth, and pregnancy oral tumor. While ACOG emphasizes that dental treatment is safe and desirable during pregnancy, Massachusetts PRAMS data have shown that women are less likely to report dental cleaning during pregnancy than before pregnancy. Likewise, dental caries is the number one chronic condition in children. Improving oral health care during pregnancy can reduce maternal-child transmission of decay-causing bacteria. Healthcare providers play an important role in educating, coordinating, and collaborating across professions to improve oral health care of all patients. The Massachusetts Oral Health Practice Guidelines for Pregnancy and Early Childhood have been developed to provide specific oral health care recommendations and resources for healthcare professionals caring for pregnant women and children.
• Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data System (PELL): A collaboration of DPH, Boston University School of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Birth and fetal death files linked to the hospital discharge records of mother's delivery and child's birth comprise the core of this data system. Program and state agency data from Early Intervention, Birth Defects, WIC, Newborn Hearing Screening, Substance Abuse Services, and Assisted Reproductive Technology are among the selected data that are linked or in the process of being linked to the core PELL data.
• Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS): A population based-surveillance system designated to identify and monitor selected maternal experiences and behaviors that occur before, during, and after pregnancy as well as the child's early infancy experience. PRAMS data collection began in June 2007.
• Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Dads: A population based-surveillance system designated to identify and monitor selected new fathers' and second parents’ experiences and behaviors that occur around the time of their child’s birth as well as the child's early infancy experience. PRAMS for Dads data collection will begin soon in 2022.
• Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Initiative: A Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC) was appointed by the MDPH Commissioner in 1997 to review maternal deaths, study the incidence of pregnancy complications, and make recommendations to improve maternal outcomes and prevent mortality.