Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (MIHA) Survey
MO-07-0123 MIHA
The Maternal and Infant Health Assessment, or MIHA, is an annual, statewide-representative survey of women with a recent live birth in California. MIHA collects self-reported information about maternal and infant experiences and about maternal attitudes and behaviors before, during and shortly after pregnancy.
MIHA is implemented by the Epidemiology, Assessment and Program Development Branch of the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program of the California Department of Public Health in collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco Center on Social Disparities in Health. Funding is provided by the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, with additional support from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program.
MIHA releases 2010 data! We are pleased to announce the release of 2010 MIHA data in easy-to-use tables, maps and charts. For the first time, MIHA results are available at the county level for the 20 California counties with the greatest numbers of births. Scroll down to the Data, Statistics and Maps section on this page for a wide array of new MIHA publications.
Is MIHA data important to your work? Tell us how you use MIHA data to improve the health of mothers and infants in California:
Using MIHA Data To Improve Maternal And Infant Health
MIHA results are used to improve our understanding of emerging health issues and monitor progress in improving the health of mothers and infants across California. These findings inform decisions, influence changes in public health programs and clinical practice, and assist program planners in targeting limited resources.
MIHA provides data to meet reporting mandates
MIHA provides data for multiple reporting mandates across CDPH, including the Health Resources and Services Administration Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, the primary funding source for State and Local MCAH Programs throughout California. MIHA also has supported the following agencies in meeting their reporting needs: the Office of Family Planning, the California Office of AIDS, and the Alcohol and Drug Program.
MIHA provides data to monitor infant feeding and care practices
MIHA collects data used to monitor progress towards achieving Healthy People 2020 objectives for breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity, and hospital and worksite support for breastfeeding mothers and infants. These data are used to celebrate successes and to identify opportunities to better protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in California.
MIHA results used in establishing recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy
In 2006, the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) held a workshop to reexamine the 1990 IOM guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. MIHA data on pre-pregnancy weight status and patterns of weight gain during pregnancy were provided to the Committee. As a result of this workshop, new IOM recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy by pre-pregnancy weight status (BMI) were released in 2009.
MIHA findings utilized in developing oral health guidelines
In 2009, the California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX, convened an expert panel to review the relationship between health and oral health status, treatment of oral diseases, and pregnancy outcomes. MIHA results describing who lacks sufficient oral health care and risk factors for not receiving that care in pregnancy were presented. As a result of the expert panel review, the CDA Foundation developed new evidence-based guidelines encouraging delivery of oral health care to women before, during and after pregnancy.
MIHA partners with CDC PRAMS to develop new Healthy People 2020 Objectives
The development of nine Healthy People 2020 Maternal, Infant and Child Health Objectives allows California to compare the well-being of our maternal and infant population to national benchmarks. The new objectives address multiple maternal health factors prior to pregnancy, including preconception health discussions with providers, folic acid use, tobacco use, alcohol use and healthy weight. Additional objectives address postpartum contraceptive use, relapse of smoking postpartum, receipt of a postpartum visit, and placing infants on their backs to sleep.
MIHA Snapshots provide data for multiple indicators in easy to understand data tables at the statewide, county and MIHA regional levels.
MIHA Comparison Tables and Maps
MIHA Comparison Tables and Maps illustrate geographic differences in key maternal and infant health indicators. MIHA Comparisons have been prepared for multiple indicators, for both counties and MIHA regions.
MIHA Reports compile Snapshots and Comparison Tables and Maps in one convenient document.
MIHA Charts
MIHA bar charts compare indicators across geographic areas in California. These slides can be viewed in full page format to approximate a presentation.
Publications
Background and Methods
MIHA is a population-based survey with a sample representative of women giving birth in California. MIHA participants are English- or Spanish-speaking women aged 15 years and older who have had a live birth. From 1999 through 2009, approximately 3,000-3,500 women participated each year. Beginning in 2010, with additional funding from the California WIC Program, the number of MIHA participants increased to nearly 7,000. MIHA data are weighted to represent all eligible women in California with a live birth during each survey year. MIHA has maintained a response rate of approximately 70%. MIHA data are collected by mail with telephone follow up to non-respondents. The questionnaire covers a wide range of maternal and infant experiences, and maternal attitudes and behaviors before, during and shortly after pregnancy.
The MIHA questionnaire and methods are similar to those used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conducting the multi-state Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Some Local Health Jurisdictions in California also conduct similar surveys, such as the Los Angeles Mommy and Baby Survey and the Shasta County Mother Infant Health Survey.
MIHA Questionnaires
Related Links
Contact Us
For more information about MIHA or to join our MIHA email distribution list, please contact:
MIHA@cdph.ca.gov
Additional information about the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program is available at the pages linked below.