Health Matters For Women

New from CDC

Healthy Pregnancy
Learn what you can do before and during pregnancy to improve your chances of having a healthy baby.

HIV Partner Service Delivery Among Transgender Women — United States, 2013–2017
HIV partner services for transgender women must address social and structural barriers unique to this population. When a person receives a diagnosis of HIV, public health workers collect information about that person's sexual and needle-sharing partners. Partners are notified of potential HIV exposure and offered HIV testing.

Infant Mortality Attributable to Birth Defects — United States, 2003–2017
Continued tracking of rates of infant mortality attributable to birth defects by maternal and infant characteristics can help identify areas where efforts to reduce mortality rates are needed.

Neural Tube Defects in Pregnancies Among Women With Diagnosed HIV Infection — 15 Jurisdictions, 2013–2017
Linking of data from birth defects and HIV/AIDS surveillance programs in 15 jurisdictions was done for the first time. The NTD prevalence in HIV-exposed pregnancies during 2013–2017 was estimated to be 7.0 per 10,000 live births, similar to the prevalence in the general population in the 15 jurisdictions and the U.S. estimate.

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Data Release
CDC is pleased to announce the release of 2018 data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Researchers can request the most recent year of data, as well as prior years’ data. PRAMS was developed in 1987 to help reduce infant morbidity and mortality by providing data not available elsewhere about pregnancy and the first few months after birth. It is part of CDC’S Safe Motherhood and Infant Health Initiative.

Population-Based Surveillance for Birth Defects Potentially Related to Zika Virus Infection — 22 States and Territories, January 2016–June 2017
The prevalence of birth defects potentially related to Zika virus increased four-fold in areas with widespread local transmission of Zika virus. Birth defects potentially related to Zika virus infection during pregnancy increased four-fold in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with widespread local transmission of Zika virus during the study period.

Variation in Tdap and Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women by Insurance Type — Florida, 2016–2018
Vaccinations during pregnancy keep pregnant women and their infants safe. Barriers to receiving vaccines, such as lack of insurance coverage, should be removed. Infants are at increased risk for pertussis-associated disease and even death, and pregnant women and their infants are more likely to experience severe illness if they get influenza (“flu”).

Snapshot