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Louisiana Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (LaPRAMS)

Contents of this area:
Louisiana Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (LaPRAMS)
    Findings
    About the Program
    Community Activities
    LaPRAMS Telephone Questionnaire
    LaPRAMS Data Request Form

LaPRAMS is an ongoing, population-based risk factor surveillance system designed to describe selected maternal behaviors and experiences that occur before and during pregnancy as well as during a child’s early infancy.

LaPRAMS is a cooperative effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Louisiana Office of Public Health, Department of Health and Hospitals. LaPRAMS began data collection in 1997.

LaPRAMS data provide information on:

  • Prenatal maternal behaviors and experiences: pregnancy intention, alcohol use, tobacco use, physical abuse, life stress, counseling
  • Complications of pregnancy: hypertension, diabetes, hospitalization
  • Postpartum maternal behaviors and experiences: depression, breastfeeding, contraception use, safety

Highlighted Facts

Only 37% of Louisiana women reported taking a multivitamin before becoming pregnant, even though 69% reported knowing that taking folic acid (found in multivitamins) can help prevent certain birth defects (2000-2004 LaPRAMS data)

Women who gain less than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy have a higher percent of low birth weight (<5.5 lbs) infants compared to women who gain the recommended amount (1998-2004 LaPRAMS data) 

Less than 50% of Louisiana women ever breastfed their infants (HP2010 objective = 75%)
Less than 20% of Louisiana women continue breastfeeding for at least 6 months (HP2010 objective = 50%)
No significant change in breastfeeding was noted from 1998 to 2003 (1998-2003 LaPRAMS data)

17.4% of Louisiana women reported late (after the first trimester) or no prenatal care during pregnancy (2000-2002 LaPRAMS data)

As infant age increases, mothers are more likely to place infants on their side versus back to sleep (2000-2002 LaPRAMS data)

Cigarette smoking has been associated with having a low birth weight infant (< 5.5 pounds at birth) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
The prevalence of maternal cigarette smoking during the third trimester of pregnancy increased over the past 4 years (2001-2004 LaPRAMS data)
Maternal education is the strongest predictor of cigarette smoking before, during and after pregnancy (1998-2002 LaPRAMS data)

9.1% of women reported feeling very depressed or receiving professional help for depression after pregnancy (2000-2001 LaPRAMS data)

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