WASHINGTON —

A decades-old data set tracking the health of new moms and babies was disrupted by mass layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last spring. Since then, the agency has taken some steps to get back on track, but there are still unanswered questions about future resources and data reliability, according to former employees, researchers and state public health officials.

The CDC has overseen the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for nearly 40 years. The population-based surveillance system tracks pregnancy experiences, from pre-birth to postpartum. The goal is to improve health outcomes at a time when the United States still faces serious challenges with maternal and infant mortality.

"In the long run, this data does actually save live

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