CDC&P: MMWR Vol. 67 / No. SS-1

MMWR Surveillance Summaries Vol. 67, No. SS-1 January 19, 2018   PDF   In this report Disparities in Preconception Health Indicators — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013–2015, and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2013–2014 Cheryl Robbins, PhD; Sheree L. Boulet, DrPH; Isabel Morgan, MSPH; et al. Preconception health is a broad term that encompasses the overall health of nonpregnant women during their reproductive years (defined here as aged 18–44 years). Improvement of both birth outcomes and the woman's health occurs when preconception health is optimized. Improving preconception health before and between pregnancies is critical for reducing maternal and infant mortality and pregnancy-related complications. Eliminating disparities in preconception health can potentially reduce disparities in two of the leading causes of death in early and middle adulthood (i.e., heart disease and diabetes). Collectively, the preconception health indicators provide a snapshot of the health status among U.S. women aged 18–44, which can be used as a baseline against which to evaluate state efforts to improve health in these women. These results suggest the need to enhance existing collaborations and identify new opportunities for addressing the health needs of women of reproductive age to improve racial and geographic disparities. MMWR Masthead Stay up-to-date with the "voice of CDC" by downloading the MMWR Express app for fast access to MMWR: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_mobileapps.html.   Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC has reached over 1.4 million subscribers. Thank you for your support.                This email was sent using GovDelivery, on behalf of: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • 1600 Clifton Rd • Atlanta, GA 30333 • 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)