HR 24 — A Resolution designating January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to recognize all the women who die from complications of pregnancy or childbirth.

PRINTER'S NO.   271

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 24
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY CEPHAS, CURRY, MAYES, FREEMAN, VENKAT, SANCHEZ,
        VITALI, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, KHAN, HANBIDGE, M. JONES, WAXMAN,
        KENYATTA, MERSKI, DEASY, STEELE, SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN,
        PROBST, NEILSON, CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA, DONAHUE,
        HOWARD, HADDOCK AND ISAACSON, JANUARY 23, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JANUARY 23, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day"
 2      in Pennsylvania to recognize all the women who die from
 3      complications of pregnancy or childbirth.
 4      WHEREAS, Women who die during pregnancy, or within one year
 5   after giving birth, from any cause related to or aggravated by
 6   the pregnancy are considered to have died a pregnancy-related
 7   death; and
 8      WHEREAS, The number of pregnancy-related deaths in the United
 9   States has continued to rise, despite recent advances in medical
10   science and technology; and
11      WHEREAS, In 1986, the Centers for Disease Control and
12   Prevention implemented a Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance
13   System, a national surveillance system, to obtain information
14   about the frequency and causes of pregnancy-related death in the
15   United States; and
16      WHEREAS, Despite declines in the maternal mortality rate in
17   other parts of the world, the data collected under the Pregnancy
 1   Mortality Surveillance System has shown a steady increase in the
 2   maternal mortality rate in the United States, from a low of 7.2
 3   deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 15.9, 17.3 and 18
 4   deaths per 100,000 in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively; and
 5         WHEREAS, The national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
 6   indicates that the rate of pregnancy-related deaths varies by
 7   race, ethnicity and age, with Black women having the highest
 8   mortality rate at more than 40 deaths per every 100,000 live
 9   births; and
10         WHEREAS, The most recent data available on the maternal
11   mortality rate in Pennsylvania indicates an overall pregnancy-
12   associated mortality ratio of 82 deaths per 100,000 live births;
13   and
14         WHEREAS, Black women in Pennsylvania are two times more
15   likely to experience pregnancy-related mortality with a maternal
16   mortality rate of 163 deaths per 100,000 live births and are two
17   to three times more likely to experience pregnancy-related
18   mortality nationally; and
19         WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
20   recommends maternal deaths be investigated through state-based
21   reviews to identify the causes of pregnancy-related deaths and
22   recommend ways to decrease maternal death rates; and
23         WHEREAS, The General Assembly approved and the Governor
24   signed Act 24 of 2018, known as the Maternal Mortality Review
25   Act, establishing the multidisciplinary Maternal Mortality
26   Review Committee, as a first step to address the serious issue
27   of increasing maternal mortality across this Commonwealth; and
28         WHEREAS, The committee is tasked with examining pregnancy-
29   related deaths, developing prevention recommendations and
30   increasing public and professional awareness of the incidence of

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 1   pregnancy-related deaths and strategies to prevent maternal
 2   deaths in this Commonwealth; and
 3      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus was
 4   formed in October 2023 to address the disturbing trends of Black
 5   maternal mortality and morbidity in this Commonwealth; and
 6      WHEREAS, In order to improve public and professional
 7   awareness and promote the various promising initiatives to
 8   reduce the maternal mortality rate, it is both reasonable and
 9   appropriate to designate a day as "Maternal Health Awareness
10   Day" in this Commonwealth and invite community members and
11   health care professionals to participate in appropriate
12   activities relating to maternal health, safety and mortality;
13   therefore be it
14      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate January
15   23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to
16   recognize all the women who die from complications of pregnancy
17   or childbirth.




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