Too many women still die from pregnancy-related complications — and most of those deaths are preventable.
Women know their bodies and can often tell when something isn't right. Every pregnancy is different, and symptoms that seem normal may not be, so concerns should always go to a health care provider.
Hear Her
CDC's Hear Her campaign raises awareness of the urgent warning signs to watch for during pregnancy and in the year after. It shares stories from women who survived severe complications, and it asks partners, friends, family, health care providers — anyone supporting a pregnant or postpartum woman — to listen to her concerns. Acting quickly can save a life.
One mother of four, Lindsay, developed preeclampsia in her second pregnancy. Her symptoms were brushed off as ordinary pregnancy swelling — until her headache and blurred vision worsened. She checked her blood pressure at a pharmacy, found it dangerously high, and went straight to the hospital, a decision that may have saved her life.
Everyone has a role
| Who | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Women, friends and family | know the warning signs and speak up; mention a recent pregnancy whenever getting medical care in the year after delivery |
| Health care providers | help patients manage chronic conditions, keep talking about warning signs, listen, build trust and act on concerns promptly |
| Hospitals and health systems | coordinate care, improve quality before, during and after pregnancy, and standardize responses to obstetric emergencies |
| States and communities | address the social conditions that shape health — for example, priority housing and transportation for pregnant and postpartum women; make sure high-risk deliveries happen at hospitals with the right specialists and equipment; and support Maternal Mortality Review Committees, which study every maternal death to prevent the next, and Perinatal Quality Collaboratives |
Maternal mortality is a complex problem with no single fix; Hear Her is one part of CDC's broader strategy to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths.
Sources
Based on "Matte Article: Listening to Pregnant and Postpartum Women," by Wanda Barfield, director of CDC's Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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