Summary
The Maternal Health dashboard provides Texas data on maternal health topics, including maternal mortality, pregnancy planning, maternal mental health, and physical health factors.
Data Sources
Texas Vital Statistics (VSTAT)
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Texas Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Survey
Data Description
DSHS combines different data sources across many years to provide an overview of Texas maternal health. The data support programs and policymakers monitor trends and make decisions to improve the health of Texas mothers and babies.
Because of rounding, some numbers in figures, graphs, or written results may not add to the total amount. Data and results are based on the most recent data available. The dashboard is updated annually.
Maternal Mortality: The dashboard presents findings on maternal mortality from DSHS analyses of statewide trends, rates, and population differences. In calculating the maternal mortality ratio, DSHS used an enhanced four-step approach and identified maternal deaths that occur during pregnancy or within 42 days postpartum. Maternal mortality terminology used in this dashboard include:
- Pregnancy-Associated Death: The death of a woman while pregnant or within one year of the end of pregnancy regardless of the cause. Pregnancy-associated deaths include maternal mortality cases that are pregnancy-related, not pregnancy-related, and when pregnancy-relatedness is undetermined.
- Pregnancy-Related Death: The death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy.
- Maternal Deaths: Include deaths that occurring pregnancy or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy, excluding deaths due to motor vehicle accidents.
Race and Ethnicity: Race or ethnicity information shown in the dashboard refers to the mother, not the infant. Women who identified themselves as Hispanic were classified as Hispanic regardless of race. Women who did not identify as Hispanic were classified as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or non-Hispanic Other. The non-Hispanic Other category includes women who identified as Native American, Asian, or multiracial.
Additional Information
Texas Department of State Health Services (2022). Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and Department of State Health Services Joint Biennial Report 2022, Updated October 2023. Retrieved from https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/legislative/2022-Reports/2022-MMMRC-DSHS-Joint-Biennial-Report.pdf.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, November 21). NVSS - Maternal Mortality - Evaluation of Changes. Detailed Evaluation of Changes in Data Collection Methods. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/maternal-mortality/evaluation.htm#:~:text=Maternal%20mortality%20is%20an%20important,from%20accidental%20or%20incidental%20causes
Baeva, S., Saxton, D. L., Ruggiero, K., Kormondy, M. L., Hollier, L. M., Hellerstedt, J., ... & Archer, N. P. (2018).Identifying maternal deaths in Texas using an enhanced method, 2012. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 131(5), 762-769
Texas Department of State Health Services (2020). Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and Department of State Health Services Joint Biennial Report, 2020, revised February 2022.
Healthy People 2030, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, United States Department of Health and Human Services. Reduce the proportion of unintended pregnancies — FP‑01. Retrieved from https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/family-planning/reduce-proportion-unintended-pregnancies-fp-01 [Accessed March 28, 2022].
Texas Department of Health and Human Services, Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Unit (2019, May). Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Survey, 2018 Data Book: Summary Tables. Retrieved from https://dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/mch/pdf/2018-PRAMS-Databook.pdf [Accessed March 28, 2022].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). User Guide to the 2023 Natality Public Use File. https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Dataset_Documentation/DVS/natality/UserGuide2023.pdf
March of Dimes (2015). Fact Sheet: Birth Spacing and Birth Outcomes. Retrieved from https://onprem.marchofdimes.org/materials/MOD-Birth-Spacing-Factsheet-November-2015.pdf [Accessed January 10, 2023].
Conde-Agudelo, A., & Belizán, J. M. (2000). Maternal morbidity and mortality associated with interpregnancy interval: cross sectional study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 321(7271), 1255–1259. Retrieved from https://www.bmj.com/content/321/7271/1255 [Accessed March 28, 2022].
United States Department of Health and Human Services (US DHHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics. Natality public-use data 2016-2020, on CDC WONDER Online Database. Retrieved from https://wonder.cdc.gov/natality-expanded-current.html [Accessed November 4, 2021].