The Senate on Thursday passed a bill aimed at reducing deaths during pregnancy and childbirth by unanimous consent, sending the legislation to President Trump to receive his signature before the end of the year.
The Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, which passed the House two days prior to Thursday’s Senate vote, aims to discover more information about the rise in deaths of and injuries occurring in U.S. women during and after childbirth. Every year, 65,000 women have difficult complications during or after childbirth that require extensive medical care, and roughly 900 die from pregnancy or from difficulties they have while giving birth.
The bill would allow the federal government to support the creation of maternal mortality review committees in states, which would study maternal deaths and make recommendations about how they can be prevented. The bipartisan legislation comes with $12 million a year in new funds for five years.
The groups, which already exist in some states, are made up of epidemiologists, obstetricians and gynecologists, social workers, nurses, and patient advocates and make suggestions that include encouraging treatment for diabetes, obesity, or substance abuse disorder.
Dr. Lisa Hollier, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, called the bill a “major step toward eliminating preventable maternal deaths in our country.”
Thrilled that my Senate colleagues have swiftly passed our bipartisan legislation — just two days after being unanimously approved by the House. This is a significant step in reducing America’s maternal mortality rate, which ensures more happy and healthy families. ???? https://t.co/ZrIWiXRqoQ
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) December 14, 2018
Because data are lacking, it isn’t clear why women are dying in childbirth, but the numbers appear to be rising — a trend not observed in other developed countries. Many of the deaths are linked to conditions involving bleeding or high blood pressure. Often, the complications occur several weeks after women leave the hospital.
Racial disparities also are apparent in the available data. Even though women of all backgrounds are at risk, black women are three to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy or childbirth.
