DESIGNATING JANUARY 23, 2025, AS "MATERNAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Kamela Smith & Rep. Minor-Brown & Sen. Lockman & Sen. Poore & Sen. Townsend

Reps. Gorman, Griffith, Harris, Heffernan, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Jones Giltner, S. Moore, Morrison, Neal, Ross Levin, Bush; Sens. Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Richardson, Wilson, Pinkney

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5

DESIGNATING JANUARY 23, 2025, AS "MATERNAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS,

in 1986, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System to obtain information about the frequency and causes of pregnancy-related deaths (the number of women who die during pregnancy, or within one year after childbirth, from any cause that is related to, or aggravated by, the pregnancy) in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the data collected under the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System has shown a steady increase in the number of reported pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, from a low of 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987, to a high of 33.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021, placing the United States maternal mortality rate as one of the highest for any industrialized country worldwide; and

WHEREAS, data from the Delaware Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) under the Child Death Review Commission demonstrated that in 2023, 90% of all pregnancy related deaths were preventable; and

WHEREAS, the leading causes of deaths continues to be hypertensive disorders, postpartum hemorrhage and maternal mental health issues, including substance use disorder; and

WHEREAS, there continues to be a significant racial disparity in maternal outcomes, with black and brown women disproportionally affected by higher rates of pregnancy related deaths compared to their live birth rates; and

WHEREAS the Delaware Perinatal Quality Collaborative has developed initiatives which include maternal safety bundles to address the leading causes of pregnancy related deaths, facilitate interagency collaboration between the state and maternity care facilities; and promote the concept of team-based, patient centered maternal care; and

WHEREAS, the State of Delaware has recognized the importance of team-based, patient centered care and supports the role of doulas during the prenatal and postnatal periods during a pregnancy, and during the birthing process; and

WHEREAS, despite the need for maintaining and improving the quality and access for maternal care to decrease preventable pregnancy-related deaths, the number of practicing obstetricians/gynecologists has a projected shortage of 12,000-15,000 physician by 2050; and

WHEREAS, the impact of this shortage will be compounded by a projected increase of the female population by 36%; and

WHEREAS, state initiatives which expand opportunities to obtain a medical education and increase the number of obstetrical/gynecological graduate medical education programs within the State of Delaware, may inspire Delawareans to consider medicine as a career, and may encourage trainees to remain in the state; and

WHEREAS, state initiatives which address some of the causes of the attrition of obstetricians/gynecologists, including physician wellbeing, compensation and liability may stabilize and expand a sustainable physician workforce, thereby improving overall accessible, quality maternal care.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED

by the House of Representatives 153

rd

General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the General Assembly hereby designates January 23

rd

as

“Maternal Health Awareness Day”

in the State of Delaware, in order to raise public and professional awareness about important maternal health, safety, and mortality issues; highlight obstetrical pathways that promote maternal safety; educate the citizens of Delaware about promising maternal health initiatives, and encourage the development of new programs and initiatives which support a sustainable workforce and therefore provide quality, accessible maternal care which can proactively address issues of maternal health and wellbeing.

SYNOPSIS

This House Concurrent Resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in the State of Delaware.