Keywords
pregnancy, maternal morbidity, maternal mortality, ingestion, medications, exposure
Document Type
Research Studies
Abstract
Maternal morbidity and mortality remain significant public health concerns in the United States, but particularly in Mississippi, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country. This study analyzes data from the Mississippi Poison Control Center (MPCC) from January 2020 through December 2024 to assess trends in exposures among pregnant women. A total of 168 cases were identified. Exposures were categorized as unintentional, intentional, adverse reactions, or unknown, with unintentional exposures (47.6%) being the most common, often due to medication misuse. Intentional exposures, often linked to suspected self harm (31.5% of cases), represented 39.9% of the total. The most common substances involved were over-the-counter medications, environmental elements, and cleaning chemicals. Most cases (54.8%) experienced no clinical effects, while 41.7% had minor effects, and 13.0% had moderate effects. No fatalities were reported. These findings highlight the need for targeted public health interventions, including education on safe medication use during pregnancy and mental health support for pregnant women. Despite limitations in reporting, the data suggests that decreasing exposure, poison prevention and early intervention are crucial to improving maternal health outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Beneke, L. S.,
Saran, Z.,
Pullman, M.,
Davis, J.,
&
Vearrier, D.
(). A Retrospective Descriptive Study of Maternal Morbidity Based on Mississippi Poison Control Center Data.
Journal of Public Health in the Deep South, 5(2), 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55533/2996-6833.1106