Vitals

In 1990 the federal government unveiled Healthy People Year 2000, a program to improve health by 2000. Part of those objectives include a Safe Motherhood campaign. Here’s how we stand. (“Status” figures indicate the most recent data.)

Pregnancy Morbidity and Mortality

Goal: Reduce the maternal mortality rate to no more than 3.3 per 100,000 live births.

Status: 7.5 per 100,000 in 1993.

Goal: Reduce severe complications of pregnancy prior to delivery to no more than 15 per 100 deliveries.

Status: 15 per 100 in 1994. (This is the only goal here that has been met.)

Healthy Lifestyles

Goal: Increase number of women who don’t smoke during pregnancy to 95%.

Status: 80% in 1993.

Goal: Increase abstinence from alcohol to 95% of pregnant population, abstinence from cocaine to 100%, and abstinence from marijuana to 100%.

Status: 81% abstinence from alcohol, 99% from cocaine and 97% from marijuana in 1993.

Goal: Reduce the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome to no more than 0.12 per 1,000 live births.

Status: .67 per 1,000 in 1993.

Intended Pregnancies

Goal: Reduce to no more than 30% the proportion of all pregnancies that are unintended.

Status: 60% in 1995.

Goal: Reduce pregnancies among girls age 17 and younger to no more than 50 per 1,000 adolescents.

Status: 74.6 per 1,000 in 1991.

Preconception Care

Goal: Increase to at least 60% the proportion of primary care providers who provide age-appropriate preconception care and counseling.

Status: 36% of pediatricians and family physicians and 65% of obstetrician-gynecologists in 1992.

Early and Appropriate Pregnancy Care

Goal: Increase to at least 90% the proportion of all pregnant women who receive prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Status: 78.9% in 1993.

Caesarean Deliveries

Goal: Reduce the Caesarean delivery rate to no more than 15%.

Status: 22% in 1994.

Breast-Feeding

Goal: Increase to at least 75% the proportion of mothers who breast-feed their babies in the early postpartum period.

Status: 60% in 1995.

Sources: American Assn. for World Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services