A Preparedness Model for Mother–Baby Linked Longitudinal Surveillance for Emerging Threats

Public health responses often lack the infrastructure to capture impact of public emergencies on pregnant women and infants, with limited mechanisms for linking their infants nationally monitor long-term effects. In 2019, Centers Disease Control Prevention (CDC), in close collaboration state, local, territorial departments, began a 5-year initiative establish population-based mother–baby linked longitudinal surveillance, Surveillance Emerging Threats Mothers Babies Network (SET-NET). The objective this report is describe an expanded surveillance approach that leverages modernizes existing systems address emerging threats during pregnancy infants. Mother–baby pairs are identified through prospective identification and/or infant retrospective maternal information. All data obtained from sources (e.g., electronic medical records, vital statistics, laboratory reports, department investigations case reporting). Variables were selected inclusion key questions proposed by CDC subject matter experts. General variables include demographics history, outcomes, results, child outcomes up second birthday. Exposure-specific modular included hepatitis C, syphilis, Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). system structured into four relational datasets (maternal, birth, infant/child follow-up, testing). SET-NET provides has already demonstrated rapid adaptation COVID-19. This innovative rapidly collects informs clinical guidance practice. These can help reduce exposure risk adverse among direct action, strengthen systems.