IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 539 
Recognizing the maternal health crisis in the United States and the impor-
tance of reducing mortality and morbidity among all women, and hon-
oring mothers. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 19, 2021 
Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, 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 2017; 
Whereas the United States has the highest maternal mor-
tality rate among developed countries; 
Whereas of all pregnancy-related deaths between 2011 and 
2015— 
(1) nearly 31 percent occurred during pregnancy; 
(2) about 36 percent occurred during childbirth or 
the week after childbirth; and 
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•HRES 539 IH 
(3) 33 percent occurred between one week and one 
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 one 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, in-
cluding that— 
(1) Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native 
women are more than 3 times as likely to die from a 
pregnancy-related cause as are White women; 
(2) Black women are more than 2 times as likely to 
suffer from severe maternal morbidity as are White 
women; 
(3) American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic 
women are about 1.5 times as likely to suffer from severe 
maternal morbidity as are White women; 
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(4) women who live in rural areas have a greater 
likelihood of severe maternal morbidity and mortality 
compared to women who live in urban areas; 
(5) over 50 percent of rural counties do not have a 
hospital with obstetric services; 
(6) counties with more Black and Hispanic residents 
and lower median incomes are less likely to have access 
to hospital obstetric services, and existing hospital obstet-
ric services in such counties are more likely to be closed; 
(7) American Indian and Alaska Native women liv-
ing in rural communities are twice as likely as the gen-
eral population of women nationwide to report receiving 
late or no prenatal care; and 
(8) Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, and His-
panic women seeking maternal care are more likely to be 
mistreated by their providers; 
Whereas 48 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto 
Rico have designated Maternal Mortality Review Commit-
tees (MMRCs) that— 
(1) despite remaining inactive in the late 1980s, re-
surged in 2016 due to a disparate rate of deaths by race; 
(2) work in partnership with the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (in this resolution, referred to as 
the ‘‘CDC’’) to comprehensively assess maternal deaths, 
identify opportunities for prevention, and provide rec-
ommendations to reduce maternal deaths; and 
(3) have shown that understanding, raising aware-
ness, and developing policies specific to maternal health 
lead to improved health outcomes; 
Whereas there has been an increase in participating States 
promoting consistent and safe maternity care through the 
Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, dem-
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•HRES 539 IH 
onstrating the urgency and importance that States are 
under and the need for Federal initiatives to reduce ma-
ternal morbidity and mortality; 
Whereas community-based maternal health care models, in-
cluding midwifery childbirth services, doula support serv-
ices, community and perinatal health worker services, and 
group prenatal care, in collaboration with culturally com-
petent physician care, show great promise in improving 
maternal health outcomes and reducing disparities in ma-
ternal health outcomes; 
Whereas many organizations have implemented initiatives to 
educate patients and providers about— 
(1) all causes of, contributing factors to, and dis-
parities 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 CDC, for the first time in over a decade, re-
leased a report on January 30, 2020, assessing the 
United States maternal mortality rate which— 
(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-His-
panic Black women was more than double that of non- 
Hispanic White women at 37.1 deaths per 100,000 live 
births compared to 14.7, and 3 times the rate of His-
panic women (11.8); and 
(3) used a new standardized methodology to improve 
the accuracy of States reporting maternal deaths, but 
still had methodological concerns potentially leading to 
the underreporting of maternal mortality data (such as 
the CDC report excluding mothers over the age of 44 and 
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only accounting for deaths within 42 days of giving birth, 
potentially omitting later postpartum deaths); 
Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic has added increased risks 
and burdens to pregnant women, such as— 
(1) an increased rate of severe COVID–19 infection, 
hospitalization, and mortality; and 
(2) increased anxiety throughout pregnancy and dur-
ing delivery; 
Whereas COVID–19 vaccine trials for pregnant women were 
delayed, leading to conflicting guidelines and vaccine hes-
itancy among mothers; 
Whereas among COVID–19 infections in pregnant women— 
(1) Hispanic women have a disproportionate risk for 
SARS–CoV–2 infection and a higher risk for death com-
pared with nonpregnant Hispanic women; 
(2) Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 
women have a disproportionately greater risk for inten-
sive care unit admission; and 
(3) Black women have a disproportionally greater 
risk of death; and 
Whereas several States, communities, and organizations rec-
ognize January 23 as ‘‘Maternal Health Awareness Day’’ 
to raise awareness about maternal health and promote 
maternal safety: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) acknowledges the United States deeply trou-
bling maternal health crisis and supports expedited 
Federal action on reducing the rates of maternal 
mortality in the United States, including— 
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(A) raising public awareness about mater-
nal mortality, maternal morbidity, and dispari-
ties in maternal health outcomes; and 
(B) encouraging the Federal Government, 
States, territories, Tribes, local communities, 
public health organizations, physicians, health 
care providers, and others to take action to re-
duce adverse maternal health outcomes and im-
prove maternal safety; 
(2) promotes initiatives— 
(A) to address and eliminate disparities in 
maternal health outcomes; 
(B) to ensure respectful and equitable ma-
ternity care practices; and 
(C) to decrease COVID–19 vaccine hesi-
tancy and increase vaccine availability among 
pregnant women; 
(3) honors the mothers who have passed away 
as a result of pregnancy-related causes; 
(4) supports collecting better data on maternal 
mortality and morbidity; and 
(5) supports and recognizes the need for fur-
ther investments in efforts to improve maternal 
health, eliminate disparities in maternal health out-
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