What to know
Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is an ongoing, site-specific, and population-based surveillance system. PRAMS is designed to identify groups of women and infants at high risk for health problems, to monitor changes in health status, and to measure progress towards goals in improving the health of mothers and infants.
Frequently Asked Questions About PRAMS
What is PRAMS?
PRAMS is the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. It is a joint surveillance project between state, territorial, or local health departments and CDC's Division of Reproductive Health. PRAMS was developed in 1987 to reduce infant morbidity and mortality by influencing maternal behaviors before, during, and immediately after live birth.
What is the purpose of PRAMS?
The purpose of PRAMS is to find out why some infants are born healthy and others are not. The survey asks new mothers questions about their pregnancy and their new infant. The questions give us important information about the mother and the infant and help us learn more about the impacts of health and behaviors.
Why is PRAMS important?
- PRAMS provides data for state, territorial, or local health officials to use to improve the health of mothers and infants.
- PRAMS allows CDC and the sites to monitor changes in maternal and child health indicators (for instance, prenatal care, breastfeeding, smoking, infant safe sleep).
- PRAMS enhances information from birth certificates. It is used to plan and review maternal and infant health programs in the states, territories, or localities.
- The PRAMS sample is chosen from a list of all women who had a live birth recently. As a result, findings can be applied to the site’s entire population of women who have recently delivered a live-born infant.
- PRAMS allows comparisons among participating sites because the same data collection methods are used in all sites.
How are PRAMS data used?
PRAMS data are used by:
- Researchers to investigate emerging issues in the field of maternal and child health.
- State, territorial, and local governments to plan and review programs and policies aimed at reducing health problems among mothers and infants and help make better use of health resources.
- State, territorial, and local agencies to help identify other agencies that have important contributions to make in planning maternal and infant health programs. These data can help develop partnerships with those agencies.
- Doctors and nurses to help improve delivery of care.
How can I be chosen to participate?
If you have recently given birth, your name may be picked by chance, like in a lottery, from the site’s birth certificate registry. If you are chosen, you will receive a survey by mail.
Will my answers be kept private?
Yes. All answers are kept private. No one will know the name of the mother who has answered the questions.
If I receive a survey, is it really important that I answer these questions?
Yes! Because of the small number of mothers picked, it is important to have everyone’s answers. More responses help researchers get a better overall picture of the health of mothers and infants. From the information you provide, we may be able to improve health care for women and children in your area.