low of 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 16.9 deaths
per 100,000 live births in 2016; and
WHEREAS, The Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
indicates that the rate of pregnancy-related deaths varies by
race, ethnicity and age, with the highest mortality ratio being
evidenced among black women who suffered 42.4 deaths per every
100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, The CDC recommends maternal deaths be investigated
through state-based reviews to identify the causes of pregnancy-
related deaths and recommend ways to decrease maternal deaths;
and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly 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
WHEREAS, According to recent CDC data, approximately 700
women die annually in the United States from pregnancy-related
complications, with one-third of pregnancy-related deaths
occurring from one week up to a year after birth and
approximately three in five pregnancy-related deaths were
preventable; and
WHEREAS, The weeks following birth, known as the "fourth
trimester," are a critical period for a woman and her infant,
setting the stage for long-term health and well-being, and to
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