III 

119TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 32 

Designating January 23, 2025, as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 23, 2025 

Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mrs. BRITT, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. WELCH, Mr. 

HICKENLOOPER, Mr. LUJA ́N, Mr. WYDEN, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating January 23, 2025, as ‘‘Maternal Health 

Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas each year in the United States, approximately 800 

women die as a result of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth; 

Whereas the pregnancy-related mortality ratio, defined as the 

number of pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live 

births, more than quadrupled in the United States between 1987 and 2021; 

Whereas, according to the United Nations Maternal Mortality 

Estimation Inter-Agency Group, the United States is one 

of the only countries in the world with a significant percentage increase in the maternal mortality in 2020; 


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•SRES 32 IS 

Whereas, of all pregnancy-related deaths that occurred in the 

United States in 2020— 

(1) approximately 25.7 percent occurred during 

pregnancy; 

(2) approximately 11.1 percent occurred during 

childbirth; 

(3) approximately 16.2 percent occurred 1 to 6 days 

postpartum; 

(4) approximately 20.2 percent occurred 7 to 42 

days postpartum; and 

(5) approximately 26.9 percent occurred between 43 

days and 1 year postpartum. 

Whereas 83.5 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in the 

United States are considered preventable; 

Whereas, each year, as many as 60,000 women in the United 

States suffer from a severe maternal morbidity, which includes unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that 

can result in significant short- and long-term health consequences; 

Whereas, approximately 20 percent of mothers who give birth 

in the United States report experiencing mistreatment; 

Whereas postpartum depression affects a significant percentage of new mothers who give birth, with estimates ranging from 10 to 20 percent of mothers who give birth experiencing depressive symptoms during the first year 

after childbirth, but many postpartum depression cases 

go undiagnosed and untreated, often due to a lack of 

screening; 

Whereas various social and systemic factors can influence 

maternal health outcomes and contribute to disparities in 

care; 


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•SRES 32 IS 

Whereas significant disparities in maternal health outcomes 

exist in the United States, including that— 

(1) the pregnancy-related mortality ratio for Black 

women is nearly 3 times higher than that of White 

women; 

(2) the pregnancy-related mortality ratio for American Indian and Alaska Native women is more than twice 

as high as White women; 

(3) the pregnancy-related mortality ratio for Black, 

American Indian, and Alaska Native women with at least 

some college education is higher compared to women of 

all other racial and ethnic backgrounds with less than a 

high school diploma; 

(4) the rate of severe maternal morbidity for Black 

and Asian-Pacific Islander women is approximately twice 

as high as the rate for White women; 

(5) women who live in rural areas have a greater 

rate of severe maternal morbidity and mortality compared to women who live in urban areas; 

(6) 59 percent of rural counties are considered a 

maternity care desert; 

(7) rural counties with more Black and Hispanic 

residents and lower median incomes are less likely to 

have access to hospital obstetric services; 

(8) the average travel distance for maternity care 

deserts and rural counties is 28.1 and 17.3 miles, respectively; and 

(9) American Indian and Alaska Native women living in rural communities are more than twice as likely as 

their White counterparts to report receiving late or no 

prenatal care; 


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•SRES 32 IS 

Whereas 47 States and the District of Columbia have adopted the option to extend coverage for postpartum care 

under Medicaid to 12 months; 

Whereas 49 States, the District of Columbia, New York City, 

Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico each have a formal maternal mortality review committee or legal requirement to 

review pregnancy-related deaths; 

Whereas State and local maternal mortality review committees are positioned to comprehensively assess maternal 

deaths and identify opportunities for prevention; 

Whereas 49 States and the District of Columbia are participating in the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, 

which promotes consistent and safe maternity care to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality; 

Whereas community-based maternal health care models, including midwifery childbirth services, doula support services, community and perinatal health worker services, and 

group prenatal care, in collaboration with culturally competent physician care, show great promise in improving 

maternal health outcomes and reducing disparities in maternal health outcomes; 

Whereas increasing the maternal health care workforce and 

expanding telehealth services can help reduce the disparities in maternal health outcomes; 

Whereas many organizations have implemented initiatives to 

educate patients and providers about— 

(1) all causes of, contributing factors to, and disparities in maternal mortality; 

(2) the prevention of pregnancy-related deaths; and 

(3) the importance of listening to and empowering 

all people to report pregnancy-related medical issues; and 


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•SRES 32 IS 

Whereas several States, communities, and organizations recognize January 23 as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’ 

to raise awareness about maternal health and promote 

maternal safety: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates January 23, 2025, as ‘‘Maternal 

3 Health Awareness Day’’; 

4 (2) supports the goals and ideals of Maternal 

5 Health Awareness Day, including— 

6 (A) raising public awareness about mater7 nal mortality, maternal morbidity, and dispari8 ties in maternal health outcomes; and 

9 (B) encouraging the Federal Government, 

10 States, territories, Tribes, local communities, 

11 public health organizations, physicians, health 

12 care providers, and others to take action to re13 duce adverse maternal health outcomes and im14 prove maternal safety; 

15 (3) promotes initiatives— 

16 (A) to address and eliminate disparities in 

17 maternal health outcomes; and 

18 (B) to ensure respectful and equitable ma19 ternity care practices; 

20 (4) honors those who have passed away as a re21 sult of pregnancy-related causes; and 


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•SRES 32 IS 

1 (5) supports and recognizes the need for mean2 ingful investments in efforts to improve maternal 

3 health, eliminate disparities in maternal health out4 comes, and promote respectful and equitable mater5 nity care practices. 

Æ 


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