[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 539 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 539
Recognizing the maternal health crisis in the United States and the
importance of reducing mortality and morbidity among all women, and
honoring mothers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2021
Mr. McEachin (for himself, Ms. Underwood, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Ms.
Spanberger, and Ms. Wexton) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the maternal health crisis in the United States and the
importance of reducing mortality and morbidity among all women, and
honoring mothers.
Whereas the pregnancy-related mortality ratio, defined as the number of
pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births, more than doubled
between 1987 and 2017;
Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among
developed countries;
Whereas of all pregnancy-related deaths between 2011 and 2015--
(1) nearly 31 percent occurred during pregnancy;
(2) about 36 percent occurred during childbirth or the week after
childbirth; and
(3) 33 percent occurred between one week and one year postpartum;
Whereas more than 60 percent of maternal deaths in the United States are
preventable;
Whereas, in 2014 alone, 50,000 women suffered from a ``near miss'' or severe
maternal morbidity, which includes potentially life-threatening
complications that arise from labor and childbirth;
Whereas 28 percent of women who gave birth in a hospital in the United States
reported experiencing one or more types of mistreatment, such as--
(1) loss of autonomy;
(2) being shouted at, scolded, or threatened; and
(3) being ignored or refused or receiving no response to requests for
help;
Whereas certain social determinants of health, including bias and racism, have a
negative impact on maternal health outcomes;
Whereas significant disparities in maternal health exist, including that--
(1) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are more than 3
times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause as are White women;
(2) Black women are more than 2 times as likely to suffer from severe
maternal morbidity as are White women;
(3) American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic women are about 1.5
times as likely to suffer from severe maternal morbidity as are White
women;
(4) women who live in rural areas have a greater likelihood of severe
maternal morbidity and mortality compared to women who live in urban areas;
(5) over 50 percent of rural counties do not have a hospital with
obstetric services;
(6) counties with more Black and Hispanic residents and lower median
incomes are less likely to have access to hospital obstetric services, and
existing hospital obstetric services in such counties are more likely to be
closed;
(7) American Indian and Alaska Native women living in rural communities
are twice as likely as the general population of women nationwide to report
receiving late or no prenatal care; and
(8) Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic women seeking
maternal care are more likely to be mistreated by their providers;
Whereas 48 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have designated
Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) that--
(1) despite remaining inactive in the late 1980s, resurged in 2016 due
to a disparate rate of deaths by race;
(2) work in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (in this resolution, referred to as the ``CDC'') to
comprehensively assess maternal deaths, identify opportunities for
prevention, and provide recommendations to reduce maternal deaths; and
(3) have shown that understanding, raising awareness, and developing
policies specific to maternal health lead to improved health outcomes;
Whereas there has been an increase in participating States promoting consistent
and safe maternity care through the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal
Health, demonstrating the urgency and importance that States are under
and the need for Federal initiatives to reduce maternal morbidity and
mortality;
Whereas community-based maternal health care models, including midwifery
childbirth services, doula support services, community and perinatal
health worker services, and group prenatal care, in collaboration with
culturally competent physician care, show great promise in improving
maternal health outcomes and reducing disparities in maternal health
outcomes;
Whereas many organizations have implemented initiatives to educate patients and
providers about--
(1) all causes of, contributing factors to, and disparities in maternal
mortality;
(2) the prevention of pregnancy-related deaths; and
(3) the importance of listening to and empowering all women to report
pregnancy-related medical issues;
Whereas the CDC, for the first time in over a decade, released a report on
January 30, 2020, assessing the United States maternal mortality rate
which--
(1) found in 2018, the maternal mortality rate was 17.4 maternal deaths
per 100,000 live births;
(2) found the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was
more than double that of non-Hispanic White women at 37.1 deaths per
100,000 live births compared to 14.7, and 3 times the rate of Hispanic
women (11.8); and
(3) used a new standardized methodology to improve the accuracy of
States reporting maternal deaths, but still had methodological concerns
potentially leading to the underreporting of maternal mortality data (such
as the CDC report excluding mothers over the age of 44 and only accounting
for deaths within 42 days of giving birth, potentially omitting later
postpartum deaths);
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has added increased risks and burdens to pregnant
women, such as--
(1) an increased rate of severe COVID-19 infection, hospitalization,
and mortality; and
(2) increased anxiety throughout pregnancy and during delivery;
Whereas COVID-19 vaccine trials for pregnant women were delayed, leading to
conflicting guidelines and vaccine hesitancy among mothers;
Whereas among COVID-19 infections in pregnant women--
(1) Hispanic women have a disproportionate risk for SARS-CoV-2
infection and a higher risk for death compared with nonpregnant Hispanic
women;
(2) Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women have a
disproportionately greater risk for intensive care unit admission; and
(3) Black women have a disproportionally greater risk of death; and
Whereas several States, communities, and organizations recognize January 23 as
``Maternal Health Awareness Day'' to raise awareness about maternal
health and promote maternal safety: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) acknowledges the United States deeply troubling
maternal health crisis and supports expedited Federal action on
reducing the rates of maternal mortality in the United States,
including--
(A) raising public awareness about maternal
mortality, maternal morbidity, and disparities in
maternal health outcomes; and
(B) encouraging the Federal Government, States,
territories, Tribes, local communities, public health
organizations, physicians, health care providers, and
others to take action to reduce adverse maternal health
outcomes and improve maternal safety;
(2) promotes initiatives--
(A) to address and eliminate disparities in
maternal health outcomes;
(B) to ensure respectful and equitable maternity
care practices; and
(C) to decrease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and
increase vaccine availability among pregnant women;
(3) honors the mothers who have passed away as a result of
pregnancy-related causes;
(4) supports collecting better data on maternal mortality
and morbidity; and
(5) supports and recognizes the need for further
investments in efforts to improve maternal health, eliminate
disparities in maternal health outcomes, and promote respectful
and equitable maternity care practices.
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