Women’s Health Connecticut Applauds Landmark US Legislation Passed to Reduce Maternal Death Rate

Just before the new year, an important piece of legislation was signed by the President, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act. Formally titled H.R. 1318, the “Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2017-2018,” updates and expands the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Safe Motherhood initiative, which focuses on the health of mothers throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. By having the ability to identify opportunities to improve the quality of health care and outcomes for mothers, additional resources could be allocated to eliminating disparities associated with pregnancy-related deaths.

According to the CDC, the United States has the highest rate of maternal deaths in the developed world, 60 percent of which are preventable, and have consistently increased in recent years. Data reports that approximately 700 women die each year in the US as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications with further disparities related to race, most significantly among African American women. Seeing a decrease in these statistics in all other developed countries further supports the need for research and funded public health studies and investigations to make significant, positive change for at-risk mothers.

Women’s Health Connecticut is supportive of this Act and encouraged by the consideration and bipartisan support given to the passing of this bill. We are dedicated to providing the best care possible to our patients and advocating all efforts that focus on reversing our country’s rising maternal mortality rate. We strongly stand behind all initiatives promoting the well-being of pregnant and postpartum women.