New from CDC
State Strategies to Address Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Infants Prenatally Exposed to Substances, Including Infants with Neonatal Abstinence SyndromeOpioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy contributes to adverse maternal and infant outcomes, including neonatal abstinence syndrome. In response to the opioid crisis, changes in state-level systems are critical for improving health outcomes.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths — United States, 2007–2016During 2007–2016, black and American Indian/Alaska Native women had significantly more pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 births than did white, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander women. Disparities persisted over time and across age groups and were present even in states with the lowest pregnancy-related mortality ratios and among groups with higher levels of education. The cause-specific proportion of pregnancy-related deaths varied by race/ethnicity.
Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration Among U.S. Infants Born in 2015Among infants who had initiated breastfeeding, differences between black infants and white infants in any and exclusive breastfeeding at ages 3 and 6 months were smaller but still present.
Pregnant Women & Influenza (Flu)Flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women of reproductive age who are not pregnant. Changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women (and women up to two weeks postpartum) more prone to severe illness from flu, including illness resulting in hospitalization. Flu also may be harmful for a pregnant woman’s developing baby.
