What is North Carolina PRAMS?
North Carolina PRAMS, the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative to reduce infant mortality and low birth weight. PRAMS collects data on maternal attitudes and experiences prior to, during, and immediately after pregnancy for a sample of North Carolina women. The sample data are analyzed in a way that allows findings to be applied to all North Carolina women who have recently had a baby.
North Carolina PRAMS began in November 1997. For more information on the national PRAMS program, please visit the website.
Why does PRAMS exist?More than 120,000 babies are born in North Carolina each year. Most of these babies are healthy, but some have serious health problems and others die before the age of 1. Planning for healthier babies and healthier families is the top priority of North Carolina PRAMS. Data provided by participating mothers are so important so we can understand what makes North Carolina babies healthy -- and why some are not as healthy as they could be.
The data that PRAMS collects may improve the health of infants and mothers, especially as it is used for planning and assessing health programs.
How can PRAMS data be used?
PRAMS provides data not available from other sources about pregnancy and the first few months after birth. These data can be used 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.
North Carolina PRAMS informs policy makers, healthcare providers and the public about health of NC mothers and infants.
PRAMS data are useful for making decisions about healthcare services, programs and policies. PRAMS data are used by state and local governments to plan and review programs and policies aimed at reducing health problems among mothers and babies.
PRAMS Questionnaire
- Attitudes and feelings about the most recent pregnancy
- Content and source of prenatal care
- Pre-conception health
- Pregnancy intention
- Prenatal care and health insurance
- Maternal and infant health care
- Maternal tobacco and alcohol use during pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Infant sleep position
- Partner abuse
- Insurance for prenatal care
- Maternal use of multivitamins
- North Carolina Maternal and Child health related programs
Privacy of responses
In order to protect confidentiality and security, we observe strict rules that are defined by the CDC protocol. We only keep ID numbers on surveys but not mothers’ names. We use identifying information only for PRAMS survey operations (mailings and telephone interviews). North Carolina PRAMS staff may access personal identifiers (names, addresses) solely.
Sponsors of North Carolina PRAMS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PRAMS project in Atlanta, Georgia provides funding and technical support.
PartnersPRAMS is a joint project between the North Carolina Center for Health Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A five-year grant from CDC provides most of the funding. In April 2001, at the end of the initial grant period, North Carolina was awarded funding to continue the PRAMS survey for an additional five years. To date, 39 states and New York City are collecting PRAMS information which covers 75 percent of U.S. births.
Other Partners in North Carolina
March of Dimes
N.C. Division of Public Health, Women's and Children's Health Section
N.C. Healthy Start Foundation
N.C. Division of Medical Assistance
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Public Health
N.C. Academy of Family Physicians
N.C. First Step Campaign
N.C. Association of Chronic Disease Directors
A comment provided by a PRAMS mother:
I think the research you are doing is outstanding! Having had 2 premature babies and wanting an answer why has always been a great concern to our family. I do not think any mother should ever have to leave the hospital without her baby. I would be happy to participate in any further information you may need! Once again, I think what you are trying to accomplish is very much a priority with many families in North Carolina.
Page Last Updated March 09, 2012