MCHATF Reports

Annual Report to the Commissioner

MCHATF Annual Report and Recommendations to the Commissioner - 2021-2022 (PDF)

This is the annual report, as required by the MCH Advisory Task Force Operating Procedures, to the Commissioner of Health providing a summary of the group’s activities during the year. The report also includes a list of recommendations aimed to improve the health of Minnesota’s mothers, children and families and prioritized by its members for the Commissioner’s consideration.

Stillbirth Advisory Workgroup Report

At the request of the 2015 legislature, the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Task Force convened a working group on stillbirths in Minnesota with the aim to release recommendations to prevent future stillbirths.

To execute its legislative charge, the workgroup conducted a review of the current methods of data collection on stillbirths, prenatal protocols to prevent stillbirths, available supports for families who have experienced a stillbirth, and any other information related to stillbirths that the task force deemed appropriate. The group held meetings during 2016-2017 to discuss topics of concerns and develop recommendations to present to the task force for their feedback and approval. The workgroup also met several times to prioritize and reduce their list of recommendations to actionable items.

The recommendations below represent the Stillbirth Workgroup’s final list of four actionable recommendations found in the Stillbirth Workgroup Advisory Report:

1. Track and publish Minnesota stillbirth data in the annual MDH Vital Statistics Report by sociodemographic information such as hospital of birth, county of birth, gestational age, and infant, maternal, and paternal race/ethnicity.
2. Establish a service like the former Minnesota SID Center that provides support, information, and assistance to families who have experienced a stillbirth.
3. Reinstate ongoing Fetal and Infant Mortality Reviews (FIMR) to provide information about the circumstances and underlying contributing factors associated with fetal deaths/stillbirths. 
4. Conduct a root cause analysis on every fetal death that aims to inform how the 39-week policy is being implemented, rapid appeals process when medically indicated deliveries prior to 39 weeks of gestation are denied, and shared patient-provider decision making about scheduled deliveries prior to 39 weeks of gestation including all relevant fetal, maternal, and newborn risks and benefits. 

Download the full Report:
Stillbirth Advisory Workgroup Report (PDF)