. To improve maternal and child health (MCH) along the U.S.-Mexico border, CDC's Division of Reproductive Health Reproductive health should be looked at through a lifecycle approach as it affects women from infancy to old age. Maternal health is the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Perinatal mortality as the "number of stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life per 1,000 live births, the perinatal period commences at 22 completed weeks (154 days) of gestation and ends seven completed days after birth, but other definitions have been used. Congenital anomalies are important causes of childhood death, chronic illness and disability in many countries. A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother's body. Perinatal Risk Factors and Behaviors: Alcohol Use during Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Maternal Age, Smoking during Pregnancy Weight Gain during Pregnanc