Table 3.

Health-Related Databases Useful in Women’s and Perinatal Health Services Research, Quality, and Benchmarking

Name	Content
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System	State-based surveillance of preventative services use, health-related risk behaviors, and chronic conditions. This dataset includes information on women’s preventative, reproductive and obstetric healthcare. Information, including surveys and interviews, is collected annually in all 50 states. Data are available from 1984 forward, making it one of the largest continuously-collected health datasets.
National Longitudinal Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics	Datasets from longitudinal studies using national samples are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These datasets include information from participants at several points to allow for study of individuals across time. For example, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth enrolled two cohorts, one in 1979 and one in 1997, and continues to contact participants to measure multiple variables at regular intervals.
US Census Bureau	Every 10 years, there is a national census of the US population, including characteristics of individuals and households, and aggregate data is made publically available. The Census Bureau also conducts surveys on economic, workforce, income, and insurance coverage at a range of times and allow public access to de-identified data. Micro-level is available for researchers following approval. This information can provide valuable context to understand perinatal outcomes in relationship to local, regional, or national demographic trends.