| R 049 |
| 2025 -- H 5154 Enacted 01/23/2025 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING JANUARY 23, 2025, TO BE "MATERNAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Felix, Chippendale, Tanzi, Cruz, Kislak, Casimiro, Diaz, and Stewart |
| Date Introduced: January 23, 2025 |
| WHEREAS, January 23rd is recognized as Maternal Health Awareness Day, and was |
| established to educate citizens about the critical importance of maternal health and promising |
| maternal health initiatives. This year’s theme is “Know What’s at Stake”; and |
| WHEREAS, Maternal health refers to women’s health and well-being during pregnancy, |
| childbirth, and postpartum (after childbirth) is integral to the health of our State, communities, |
| and families; and |
| WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more |
| than 84 percent of maternal deaths in the United States are preventable, and severe maternal |
| morbidity regarding pregnancy-related complications lead to major short or long-term health |
| consequences; and |
| WHEREAS, The rate of severe maternal morbidity among Rhode Island women |
| delivering in hospitals is lower than the national rate; however, the United States has the highest |
| rate among all wealthy nations; and |
| WHEREAS, Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate of any racial or |
| ethnic group and although that number has decreased in recent years, there still exists a growing |
| concern due in great measure to health care becoming unobtainable for these mothers and others |
| in both rural and urban areas due to ongoing financial, staffing, and policy changes which have |
| caused an "Access in Crisis" across the country; and |
| WHEREAS, All pregnant individuals should have access to comprehensive and timely |
| prenatal services across the healthcare continuum, and reducing prenatal health inequities through |
| policy and systems change can help improve opportunities for every Rhode Islander; and |
| WHEREAS, To combat the maternal mortality rate, the State of Rhode Island has |
| engaged in ongoing efforts to systematically collect and comprehensively review maternal deaths |
| through the Pregnancy & Post-Partum Death Review Committee; and |
| WHEREAS, In 2023, one third of Rhode Island’s births were delivered by cesarean |
| delivery which is now the most common surgery performed in the United States, and which is |
| often preventable; and |
| WHEREAS, At least five percent of the babies born in Rhode Island are prenatally |
| exposed to substances like alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, stimulants, and opioids; and |
| WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island is collaborating with community organizations, |
| hospital and health systems and clinical collaborations including the Perinatal Neonatal Quality |
| Collaborative (PNQC) of Rhode Island, the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) of |
| Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Prematurity Task Force to reduce maternal mortality and |
| severe morbidity through collaboration and implementation of evidence-based initiatives; and |
| WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island is committed to protecting the health and well- |
| being of pregnant people by continuing public awareness and understanding of health risks and |
| factors that contribute to maternal death, to improving public and professional awareness of the |
| issues related to maternal health and mortality, and promoting the various efforts to reduce |
| maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims January 23, 2025, to be "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in the State of Rhode |
| Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Stacy Paterno, Executive Vice President, |
| Rhode Island Medical Society. |
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| LC000202 |
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