Conference Abstract Compendium Examples from the ... - CityMatCH

2009 CityMatCH Urban MCH Leadership ConferenceReducing maternal morbidity and mortality in Los Angeles County: A focus on maternalhemorrhagePRIMARY CONTACT:Giannina Donatoni, PhDLos Angeles County Department ofPublic Health, Maternal, Child, andAdolescent Health Programs600 South Commonwealth Avenue,Room 800Los Angeles, CA, 90005Phone: (213) 639-6420Fax: (213) 639-1034Email: gdonatoni@ph.lacounty.govCATEGORYPreconception health and health careOther: Maternal MortalityFOCUSProgram Policy FocusCO-PRESENTER(S)/AUTHOR(S):Diana E. Ramos, dramos@ph.lacounty.gov(Presenter)Paymon Ebrahimzadeh,pebrahimzadeh@ph.lacounty.gov (Author)Cynthia A. Harding, charding@ph.lacounty.gov(Author)ISSUEObstetric hemorrhage is a rare but life-threatening event. Management requires early recognition anddecisive action. Seventy-five percent of all maternal deaths in Los Angeles County (LAC), California,from 1994-1996 were potentially preventable. Data for 1999-2003 demonstrated that pregnancy-relateddeaths were three times more likely among African Americans than other racial/ethnic groups. Two maincontributing factors to deaths were providers’ failure to recognize and manage risks, and women delayingor not requesting prenatal or emergency care. This project aims to reduce hemorrhage-related morbidityand mortality through the prevention, recognition, and response to obstetric hemorrhage, the mostcommon cause of pregnancy-related death in LAC.SETTINGThe project addresses contributing factors to maternal deaths at the provider, facility, and patient levels atthe 10 highest volume delivery hospitals in LAC. These hospitals annually deliver 33% of the 150,000births in LAC and 40% of the 11,400 births to African Americans. Participants include obstetricalproviders, women of reproductive age, and hospitals.PROJECTWe are one of four pilot projects that the California Maternal Care Quality Collaborative selected andsupports for the Local Assistance for Maternal Health project. A grant from the California Department ofHealth, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program funds this initiative to support projects to reducematernal morbidity and mortality in California. The project team includes the LAC Department of PublicHealth and key stakeholders from provider, hospital, and patient organizations.34