III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 492 

Designating January 23, 2022, as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 19 (legislative day, JANUARY 18), 2022 

Mr. BOOKER (for himself and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating January 23, 2022, as ‘‘Maternal Health 

Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas, each year in the United States, approximately 700 

individuals 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 doubled in the United States between 

1987 and 2017; 

Whereas the United States is one of the only Organisation 

for Economic Co-operation and Development member 

countries in which the maternal mortality rate has increased over the last several decades; 

Whereas, of all pregnancy-related deaths in the United States 

between 2011 and 2016— 


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•SRES 492 IS 

(1) nearly 32 percent occurred during pregnancy; 

(2) approximately 35 percent occurred during childbirth or the week after childbirth; and 

(3) 33 percent occurred between 1 week and 1 year 

postpartum; 

Whereas more than 60 percent of maternal deaths in the 

United States are preventable; 

Whereas, each year, more than 50,000 individuals in the 

United States suffer from a ‘‘near miss’’ or severe maternal morbidity, which includes potentially life-threatening 

complications that arise from labor and childbirth; 

Whereas approximately 17 percent of individuals who give 

birth in a hospital in the United States report experiencing 1 or more types of mistreatment, such as— 

(1) loss of autonomy; 

(2) being shouted at, scolded, or threatened; or 

(3) being ignored or refused or receiving no response 

to requests for help; 

Whereas certain social determinants of health, including bias 

and racism, have a negative impact on maternal health 

outcomes; 

Whereas significant disparities in maternal health outcomes 

exist in the United States, including that— 

(1) Black individuals are more than 3 times as likely 

to die from a pregnancy-related cause as are White individuals; 

(2) American Indian and Alaska Native individuals 

are more than twice as likely to die from a pregnancyrelated cause as are White individuals; 

(3) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native individuals with at least some college education are more 


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•SRES 492 IS 

likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than are individuals of all other racial and ethnic backgrounds with 

less than a high school diploma; 

(4) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native individuals are about twice as likely to suffer from severe 

maternal morbidity as are White individuals; 

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

likelihood of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, 

compared to individuals who live in urban areas; 

(6) less than 1⁄2 of rural counties have a hospital 

with obstetric services; 

(7) counties with more Black and Hispanic residents 

and lower median incomes are less likely to have access 

to hospital obstetric services; 

(8) more than 50 percent of individuals who live in 

a rural area must travel more than 30 minutes to access 

hospital obstetric services, compared to 7 percent of individuals who live in urban areas; and 

(9) American Indian and Alaska Native individuals 

living in rural communities are twice as likely as their 

White counterparts to report receiving late or no prenatal 

care; 

Whereas pregnant individuals may be at increased risk for severe outcomes associated with COVID–19, as— 

(1) pregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID– 

19 are more likely to be admitted to an intensive care 

unit, receive invasive ventilation, and receive 

extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (commonly known 

as ‘‘ECMO’’) treatment, compared to nonpregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID–19; 

(2) pregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID– 

19 are at a 70-percent increased risk for death, compared 


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•SRES 492 IS 

to nonpregnant individuals with symptomatic COVID–19; 

and 

(3) pregnant individuals with COVID–19 are at risk 

for pre-term delivery and stillbirth; 

Whereas 49 States have designated committees to review maternal deaths; 

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

deaths and identify opportunities for prevention; 

Whereas 43 States 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 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 

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 


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1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates January 23, 2022, 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 

22 (5) supports and recognizes the need for fur23 ther investments in efforts to improve maternal 

24 health, eliminate disparities in maternal health outVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:06 Jan 20, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR492.IS SR492

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1 comes, and promote respectful and equitable mater2 nity care practices. 

Æ 


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