IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 853 

Recognizing the maternal health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing mortality and morbidity among all women, and honoring mothers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2020 

Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. PRESSLEY, Ms. 

UNDERWOOD, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. SPANBERGER, and Ms. WEXTON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the maternal health crisis in the United States 

and the importance of reducing mortality and morbidity 

among all women, and honoring mothers. 

Whereas the pregnancy-related mortality ratio, defined as the 

number of pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live 

births, more than doubled between 1987 and 2016; 

Whereas the United States is the only developed country 

whose maternal mortality rate has increased over the last 

several decades; 

Whereas of all pregnancy-related deaths between 2011 and 

2015— 

(1) nearly 31 percent occurred during pregnancy; 


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•HRES 853 IH 

(2) about 36 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, in 2014 alone, 50,000 women suffered from a 

‘‘near miss’’ or severe maternal morbidity, which includes 

potentially life-threatening complications that arise from 

labor and childbirth; 

Whereas 28 percent of women who gave birth in a hospital 

in the United States reported experiencing 1 or more 

types of mistreatment, such as— 

(1) loss of autonomy; 

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

(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 exist, including that— 

(1) Black women are more than 3 times as likely to 

die from a pregnancy-related cause as are White women; 

(2) American Indian and Alaska Native women are 

more than 2 times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause as are White women; 

(3) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native 

women with at least some college education are more 

likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than are 


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women of all other racial and ethnic backgrounds with 

less than a high school diploma; 

(4) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native 

women are about 2 times as likely to suffer from severe 

maternal morbidity as are White women; 

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

likelihood of severe maternal morbidity and mortality 

compared to women who live in urban areas; 

(6) nearly 50 percent of rural counties do not 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 women who live in a 

rural area must travel more than 30 minutes to access 

hospital obstetric services, compared to 7 percent of 

women who live in urban areas; and 

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

White counterparts to report receiving late or no prenatal 

care; 

Whereas more than 40 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 more than 25 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 servVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:30 Feb 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR853.IH HR853

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ices, 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 women to report pregnancy-related medical issues; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in 

this Resolution, referred to as the ‘‘CDC’’), for the first 

time in over a decade, released a report on January 30, 

2020, assessing the United States maternal mortality 

rate that— 

(1) found in 2018, the maternal mortality rate was 

17.4 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births; 

(2) found the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was more than double that of nonHispanic White women at 37.1 deaths per 100,000 live 

births compared to 14.7, and 3 times the rate of Hispanic women (11.8); and 

(3) while using a new standardized methodology to 

improve the accuracy of States reporting maternal 

deaths, still has potential methodological concerns with 

the reporting of maternal mortality data, such as the 

CDC report excluding mothers over the age of 44 and 

only accounting for deaths within 42 days of giving birth, 

potentially omitting later postpartum deaths; and 


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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 House of Representatives— 

2 (1) acknowledges the United States deeply trou3 bling maternal health crisis and supports expedited 

4 Federal action on reducing the rates of maternal 

5 mortality in the United States, 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 (2) 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 (3) honors the mothers who have passed away 

21 as a result of pregnancy-related causes; 


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1 (4) supports collecting better data on maternal 

2 mortality and morbidity; and 

3 (5) supports and recognizes the need for fur4 ther investments in efforts to improve maternal 

5 health, eliminate disparities in maternal health out6 comes, and promote respectful and equitable mater7 nity care practices. 

Æ 


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