A resolution designating January 23, 2023, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day".

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 12 Designating January 23, 2023, as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JANUARY 23 (legislative day, JANUARY 3), 2023 Mr. BOOKER (for himself and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Designating January 23, 2023, as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’. Whereas, each year in the United States, approximately 700 individuals die as a result of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth; Whereas the pregnancy-related mortality ratio, defined as the number of pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births, more than doubled in the United States between 1987 and 2017; Whereas the United States is one of the only Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries in which the maternal mortality rate has in- creased over the last several decades; Whereas, of all pregnancy-related deaths in the United States between 2011 and 2016— VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 12 IS (1) nearly 32 percent occurred during pregnancy; (2) approximately 35 percent occurred during child- birth or the week after childbirth; and (3) 33 percent occurred between 1 week and 1 year postpartum; Whereas more than 80 percent of maternal deaths in the United States are preventable; Whereas, each year, more than 50,000 individuals in the United States suffer from a ‘‘near miss’’ or severe mater- nal morbidity, which includes potentially life-threatening complications that arise from labor and childbirth; Whereas approximately 17 percent of individuals who give birth in a hospital in the United States report experi- encing 1 or more types of mistreatment, such as— (1) loss of autonomy; (2) being shouted at, scolded, or threatened; or (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 outcomes exist in the United States, including that— (1) Black individuals are more than 3 times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause as are White indi- viduals; (2) American Indian and Alaska Native individuals are more than twice as likely to die from a pregnancy- related cause as are White individuals; (3) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native indi- viduals with at least some college education are more VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 12 IS likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than are in- dividuals of all other racial and ethnic backgrounds with less than a high school diploma; (4) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native indi- viduals are about twice as likely to suffer from severe maternal morbidity as are White individuals; (5) individuals who live in rural areas have a greater likelihood of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, compared to individuals who live in urban areas; (6) less than 1⁄2 of rural counties have a hospital with obstetric services; (7) counties with more Black and Hispanic residents and lower median incomes are less likely to have access to hospital obstetric services; (8) more than 50 percent of individuals who live in a rural area must travel more than 30 minutes to access hospital obstetric services, compared to 7 percent of indi- viduals who live in urban areas; and (9) American Indian and Alaska Native individuals living in rural communities are twice as likely as their White counterparts to report receiving late or no prenatal care; Whereas pregnant individuals may be at increased risk for se- vere outcomes associated with COVID–19, as— (1) COVID–19 contributed to 25 percent of mater- nal deaths from 2020 to 2021; (2) pregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID– 19 are more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit, receive invasive ventilation, and receive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (commonly known as ‘‘ECMO’’) treatment, compared to nonpregnant indi- viduals with symptomatic COVID–19; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 12 IS (3) pregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID– 19 have a risk of dying that is 7 times higher than non- pregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID–19; and (4) pregnant individuals with COVID–19 are at risk for pre-term delivery and stillbirth; Whereas 49 States have designated committees to review ma- ternal deaths; Whereas State and local maternal mortality review commit- tees are positioned to comprehensively assess maternal deaths and identify opportunities for prevention; Whereas 48 States and the District of Columbia are partici- pating in the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, which promotes consistent and safe maternity care to re- duce maternal morbidity and mortality; Whereas community-based maternal health care models, in- cluding midwifery childbirth services, doula support serv- ices, community and perinatal health worker services, and group prenatal care, in collaboration with culturally com- petent physician care, show great promise in improving maternal health outcomes and reducing disparities in ma- ternal health outcomes; Whereas many organizations have implemented initiatives to educate patients and providers about— (1) all causes of, contributing factors to, and dis- parities in maternal mortality; (2) the prevention of pregnancy-related deaths; and (3) the importance of listening to and empowering all people to report pregnancy-related medical issues; and Whereas several States, communities, and organizations rec- ognize January 23 as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 12 IS to raise awareness about maternal health and promote maternal safety: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) designates January 23, 2023, as ‘‘Maternal 2 Health Awareness Day’’; 3 (2) supports the goals and ideals of Maternal 4 Health Awareness Day, including— 5 (A) raising public awareness about mater- 6 nal mortality, maternal morbidity, and dispari- 7 ties in maternal health outcomes; and 8 (B) encouraging the Federal Government, 9 States, territories, Tribes, local communities, 10 public health organizations, physicians, health 11 care providers, and others to take action to re- 12 duce adverse maternal health outcomes and im- 13 prove maternal safety; 14 (3) promotes initiatives— 15 (A) to address and eliminate disparities in 16 maternal health outcomes; and 17 (B) to ensure respectful and equitable ma- 18 ternity care practices; 19 (4) honors those who have passed away as a re- 20 sult of pregnancy-related causes; and 21 (5) supports and recognizes the need for fur- 22 ther investments in efforts to improve maternal 23 health, eliminate disparities in maternal health out- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •SRES 12 IS comes, and promote respectful and equitable mater- 1 nity care practices. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR12.IS SR12 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS