[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 603 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 603
Supporting the ideals of Bump Day, a global day of maternal health
awareness, action and advocacy, and reaffirming United States
leadership to end preventable maternal deaths in the United States and
globally.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2023
Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Mrs. Kim of California, and Ms. Kelly of
Illinois) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the ideals of Bump Day, a global day of maternal health
awareness, action and advocacy, and reaffirming United States
leadership to end preventable maternal deaths in the United States and
globally.
Whereas Bump Day, an annual global campaign that celebrates beautiful bumps and
healthy pregnancies while raising awareness about and calling for action
to address the urgent need for better, more accessible, more respectful,
and more responsive maternal health care, promoting healthy pregnancies,
safe births, and healthy babies in the United States and around the
world;
Whereas the World Health Organization estimates approximately 810 women die from
preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day around
the world;
Whereas 80 percent of all maternal deaths in the United States and worldwide are
preventable;
Whereas over 700 women in the United States die each year from pregnancy- and
childbirth-related complications and about 70,000 women suffer near-
fatal complications or serious lifelong health-consequences, including
permanent disability;
Whereas women in the United States are more likely to die from childbirth or
pregnancy-related complications than women in all other high-income
countries, and the United States is the only high-income nation in the
world where maternal mortality is currently increasing;
Whereas 1 in 5 deliveries globally happen without the presence of a skilled
birth attendant;
Whereas 1 in 7 infants in the United States are born to a woman receiving
inadequate prenatal care;
Whereas pregnant women who do not receive prenatal care during pregnancy in the
United States are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related
complications;
Whereas Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women in the United States are 2
to 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to
White women;
Whereas, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the maternal mortality rate for Hispanic women surged during the COVID-
19 pandemic, surpassing that for White women for the first time in more
than a decade;
Whereas risks to moms in the United States and globally have risen even higher
due to widening gaps in maternal health care during the COVID-19
pandemic, as well as due to serious pregnancy risks associated with
maternal COVID-19 infection;
Whereas proper preconception management of chronic conditions such as diabetes,
hypertension, and periodontal disease can reduce the risk of serious
pregnancy complications for both a mom and her baby;
Whereas nearly half of all maternal deaths occur in the immediate postpartum
period, with 21 percent occurring between 1 and 6 weeks postpartum, and
12 percent during the remaining portion of the postpartum year, and most
of these deaths could be prevented with increased access to postpartum
care;
Whereas 1 in 5 women in the United States experience perinatal mood and anxiety
disorders (PMAD), with suicide being a leading cause of preventable
maternal deaths, and untreated PMADs cost the United States
$14,200,000,000 annually;
Whereas intimate partner violence (IPV) is a leading cause of maternal death,
and women are more likely to experience IPV during pregnancy than at any
other time in their lives;
Whereas IPV during pregnancy and postpartum crosses every demographic and has
been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas doula support has been shown to improve pregnancy, birth, and postpartum
outcomes, lower pregnancy- and childbirth-related costs by lowering
rates of cesarean birth, epidural anesthesia, and other interventions,
and reduce the impact of racial bias on pregnant and postpartum women of
color;
Whereas incarcerated pregnant and postpartum women face heightened risks for
maternal mortality and complications, as well as maternal mood
disorders, and should be provided the highest standard of care;
Whereas the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity in rural and other
underserved areas in the United States is disproportionately high due to
challenges in accessing the comprehensive, affordable, quality maternal
health care that all moms deserve;
Whereas more than half of all rural counties in the United States do not have
access to hospital-based obstetric services;
Whereas increasing access to broadband, telehealth, and mobile maternity care
could improve maternal outcomes;
Whereas awareness of urgent maternal warning signs and symptoms during pregnancy
and postpartum and prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent mortality
and morbidity;
Whereas every expectant mom deserves the respectful, responsive care and support
she needs to deliver a safe pregnancy, healthy birth, and healthy future
to herself and her baby; and
Whereas Wednesday, July 19, 2023, and all subsequent third Wednesdays in July
would be an appropriate annual day for the celebration of ``Bump Day'':
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) celebrates Bump Day's goal of raising awareness about
the need for improved maternal health care in the United States
and globally, and of ending all preventable maternal deaths;
(2) recognizes the critical role of health workers,
including obstetricians, midwives, mental health providers, and
doulas in achieving safe, healthy pregnancies and deliveries in
the United States and globally;
(3) recognizes the benefits of evidence-based group
prenatal and postpartum care approaches;
(4) recognizes the role of fathers and other partners in
supporting healthy pregnancies, safe births, and healthy
babies, improving health outcomes for mother and baby, as well
as initiation and success of breastfeeding; and
(5) reaffirms continued leadership by the United States to
combat preventable maternal deaths in the United States and
globally.
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