PRINTER'S NO. 3022
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
641
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MACKENZIE, BERNSTINE, BURNS, CONKLIN, SCHLEGEL
CULVER, DONATUCCI, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY, HILL-EVANS,
INNAMORATO, KINSEY, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, McNEILL, MURT,
OBERLANDER, PICKETT, RAPP, READSHAW, RYAN, SCHLOSSBERG,
SCHMITT, SONNEY, YOUNGBLOOD AND JOZWIAK, DECEMBER 16, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, DECEMBER 16, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating January 23, 2020, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day"
in Pennsylvania to recognize all the women who die from
complications of pregnancy or childbirth.
WHEREAS, Women who die during pregnancy, or within one year
after giving birth, from any cause related to or aggravated by
the pregnancy are considered to have died a pregnancy-related
death; and
WHEREAS, The number of pregnancy-related deaths in the United
States has continued to rise, despite recent advances in medical
science and technology; and
WHEREAS, In 1986, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention implemented a Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
to obtain information about the frequency and causes of
pregnancy-related death in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Despite declines in the maternal mortality rate in
other parts of the world, the data collected under the Pregnancy
Mortality Surveillance System has shown a steady increase in the
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maternal mortality rate in the United States, from a low of 7.2
deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 15.9, 17.3 and 18
deaths per 100,000 in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively; and
WHEREAS, The Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
indicates that the rate of pregnancy-related deaths varies by
race, ethnicity and age, with African-American women having the
highest mortality rate at more than 40 deaths per every 100,000
live births; and
WHEREAS, The most recent data available on the maternal
mortality rate in Pennsylvania indicates that from 2012 to 2016,
there was an increase in maternal deaths with 11.4 deaths per
100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, For African-American women in Pennsylvania, the
maternal mortality rate was 27.2 deaths per 100,000 live births;
and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends maternal deaths be investigated through state-based
reviews to identify the causes of pregnancy-related deaths and
recommend ways to decrease maternal death rates; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania approved and the Governor signed Act 24 of 2018,
known as the Maternal Mortality Review Act, establishing the
multidisciplinary Maternal Mortality Review Committee, as a
first step to address the serious issue of increasing maternal
mortality across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The committee is tasked with examining pregnancy-
related deaths, developing prevention recommendations and
increasing public and professional awareness of the incidence of
pregnancy-related deaths and strategies to prevent maternal
deaths in this Commonwealth; and
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WHEREAS, In order to improve public and professional
awareness and promote the various promising initiatives to
reduce the maternal mortality rate, it is both reasonable and
appropriate to designate a day as "Maternal Health Awareness
Day" in this Commonwealth and invite community members and
health care professionals to participate in appropriate
activities relating to maternal health, safety and mortality;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate January
23, 2020, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to
recognize all the women who die from complications of pregnancy
or childbirth.
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