The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a research project sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of the study is to find out why some babies are born healthy and others are not.
Each year PRAMS asks 2,100 women in Nebraska to answer questions about maternal behaviors and experiences before, during and right after pregnancy. Surveyed women were picked by a computer from recent birth certificates. The survey takes about 25-42 minutes to complete and includes some sensitive questions, such as questions about smoking or drinking during pregnancy.
Survey participation is voluntary and there is no penalty or loss of benefits for not participating or answering all questions.
NEW PRAMS 2021 Annual Report
PRAMS 2020 Annual Report
PRAMS 2019 Annual Report
General Information
The goal of PRAMS is to improve the health of mothers and babies in Nebraska. PRAMS influences the health care systems and maternal behaviors that affect health during and right after pregnancy. Four specific objectives are to:
- Collect population-based data of high scientific quality on topics related to pregnancy and early infancy;
- Conduct comprehensive analyses in order to better understand relationships between the behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of a woman during and right after pregnancy;
- Translate results from analyses into information to be used for planning and evaluating public health programs and policy;
- Build capacity to collect, analyze and translate data that address relevant and timely maternal and child health issues;
- To protect the rights and interests of potential and actual participants.
Each month, a stratified sample of approximately 200 mothers is randomly selected from recent birth certificates. An introductory letter is mailed to each woman in the sample between two and six months after the baby's birth. Since 2023, specific login information is included in this letter for participating mothers to be able to complete the PRAMS survey via the web. A package containing a paper copy of the PRAMS survey is mailed a few days later. A second, and then third, survey package is mailed to mothers who do not respond. Each mailing includes information for participating mothers to complete the survey online also. PRAMS staff then telephone those mothers who have not responded to the survey mailings. Responses are collected in a database and weighted to represent all women giving birth in Nebraska.
PRAMS written materials, including mail, web surveys and telephone interviews are available in both English and Spanish.
NE PRAMS is an ongoing surveying program. Published reports are based on births from January to December.
NE PRAMS is operated by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and is guided by suggestions from an external Steering Committee. The members are drawn from maternal and child health stakeholder organizations across the state. The CDC provides partial funding and technical assistance. Contact the CDC at cdcinfo@cdc.gov.
CDC PRAMS Website
The survey consists of a core component used by all states participating in PRAMS, and a state-specific component developed to address Nebraska's particular data needs. The survey, which is designed to provide data on topics not available elsewhere, includes the following:
- Attitudes and feelings about the pregnancy
- Barriers to and content of prenatal care
- Nutrition and folic acid awareness
- Pregnancy-related violence
- Psychosocial support and stress
- Use of alcohol and tobacco before, during and after pregnancy
- Infant's early development, health care, and exposure to passive smoke
- HIV testing
- Health insurance coverage
Findings from PRAMS' population-based data can be generalized to the entire population of Nebraska women whose pregnancies resulted in a live birth. Examples of findings from other states' PRAMS data have been used to:
- Enhance and expand the understanding of maternal behaviors and experiences, and their relationship to unfavorable pregnancy outcomes;
- Develop and implement new maternal and child health programs, as well as evaluate and modify existing programs;
- Influence public health policy;
- Assist health professionals to incorporate the latest research findings into their standards of practice;
- Monitor progress on local, state and national health objectives and goals.
Are you interested in PRAMS data? Do you need a detailed analysis of data for a period between 2000 and 2021?
Please submit your data request to:
Masoomeh Hajizadeh Oghaz, PRAMS Program Manager
Phone: (402) 471-9044
Fax: (402) 471-7049
E-mail: Masoomeh.HajizadehOghaz@nebraska.gov
PRAMS data is collected from moms by paper survey and telephone interview. Over the years, PRAMS has changed questions to make them easier to answer, to focus on the data states were interested in, and to adapt to changing norms about maternal and child health. The surveys below can be used to search for questions you may be interested in.
Nebraska PRAMS Telephone Questionnaires by phase:
Resources Featuring PRAMS Data
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