Maternal Mortality
Hear Her. You can help save a life.
Minnesota Department of Health is amplifying the CDC’s Hear Her campaign to raise awareness of urgent maternal warning signs during and after pregnancy and improve communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
Many people die from problems related to pregnancy or delivery complications. Every death is a tragedy, especially when we know that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented. Too many people experience severe, unexpected health problems related to pregnancy that may have long-term health consequences.
Each person knows their own body better than anyone and can often tell when something does not feel right. This campaign seeks to encourage partners, friends, family, coworkers, and providers—anyone who supports pregnant and postpartum people—to really listen when she tells you something doesn’t feel right.
Download these tools to help be aware of warning signs and support birthing people.
- Urgent maternal warning signs posters
- For pregnant and postpartum people: conversation guide, palm card
- For partners, friends, and family: conversation guide, palm card
These materials are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Toolkit for health care professionals
As a direct connection to pregnant and postpartum people, you can help:
- Increase awareness of serious pregnancy-related complications and their warning signs. Empower people who are pregnant and postpartum to speak up and raise concerns.
- Encourage support systems to engage in important conversations.
- Provide tools for pregnant and postpartum people and healthcare professionals to better engage in life-saving conversations.
Please utilize these tools to help educate patients and their support network of warning signs.
- Shareable graphics for healthcare professionals
- Social media for healthcare professionals
- Posters and handouts for healthcare professionals
The CDC offers more information for obstetric professionals, pediatricians, and other health care professionals on their healthcare professionals website, including clinical resources and tools.
Free printed versions of some materials are also available to order from the CDD’s website, CDC publications on demand. Use keyword or PubID “hear her.”
Hear Her® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use of these marks by the Minnesota Department of Health does not imply endorsement by HHS/CDC.