HR 379 — A Resolution designating January 23, 2026, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to recognize all the women who die from complications of pregnancy or childbirth.

PRINTER'S NO.    2695

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 379
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY CURRY, CEPHAS, MAYES, VENKAT, D. MILLER, FREEMAN,
        WAXMAN, HILL-EVANS, McNEILL, PROBST, DONAHUE, SAMUELSON,
        HOHENSTEIN, RIVERA, SHUSTERMAN, GALLAGHER AND SANCHEZ,
        DECEMBER 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, DECEMBER 10, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating January 23, 2026, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day"
 2      in Pennsylvania to recognize all the women who die from
 3      complications of pregnancy or childbirth.
 4      WHEREAS, Women who die during pregnancy, or within one year
 5   after giving birth, from any cause related to or aggravated by
 6   the pregnancy are considered to have died a pregnancy-related
 7   death; and
 8      WHEREAS, The number of pregnancy-related deaths in the United
 9   States has continued to rise, despite recent advances in medical
10   science and technology; and
11      WHEREAS, In 1986, the Centers for Disease Control and
12   Prevention implemented a Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance
13   System, a national surveillance system, to obtain information
14   about the frequency and causes of pregnancy-related death in the
15   United States; and
16      WHEREAS, Despite declines in the maternal mortality rate in
17   other parts of the world, the data collected under the Pregnancy
 1   Mortality Surveillance System has shown a steady increase in the
 2   maternal mortality rate in the United States, from a low of 7.2
 3   deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 15.9, 17.3 and 18
 4   deaths per 100,000 in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively; and
 5         WHEREAS, There was a sharp increase in the maternal mortality
 6   rate attributed to the pandemic, with the rates rising to 24.9
 7   and 33.2 per 100,000 live births in 2020 and 2021, respectively;
 8   and
 9         WHEREAS, While rates lowered to 21.5 and 18.7 deaths per
10   100,000 live births in 2022 and 2023, respectively, these remain
11   higher than prepandemic rates, such as the rate of 17.6 per
12   100,000 live births in 2019; and
13         WHEREAS, The national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System
14   indicates that the rate of pregnancy-related deaths varies by
15   race, ethnicity and age, with Black women having the highest
16   mortality rate at more than 40 deaths per every 100,000 live
17   births; and
18         WHEREAS, The most recent data available on the maternal
19   mortality rate in Pennsylvania indicates an overall pregnancy-
20   related mortality ratio of 32 deaths per 100,000 live births in
21   2021; and
22         WHEREAS, Black women in Pennsylvania are two times more
23   likely to experience pregnancy-related mortality with a maternal
24   mortality rate of 60 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 and
25   are three times more likely to experience pregnancy-related
26   mortality nationally; and
27         WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
28   recommends maternal deaths be investigated through state-based
29   reviews to identify the causes of pregnancy-related deaths and
30   recommend ways to decrease maternal death rates; and

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 1      WHEREAS, The General Assembly approved and the Governor
 2   signed Act 24 of 2018, known as the Maternal Mortality Review
 3   Act, establishing the multidisciplinary Maternal Mortality
 4   Review Committee, as a first step to address the serious issue
 5   of increasing maternal mortality across this Commonwealth; and
 6      WHEREAS, The committee is tasked with examining pregnancy-
 7   related deaths, developing prevention recommendations and
 8   increasing public and professional awareness of the incidence of
 9   pregnancy-related deaths and strategies to prevent maternal
10   deaths in this Commonwealth; and
11      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus was
12   formed in October 2023 to address the disturbing trends of Black
13   maternal mortality and morbidity in this Commonwealth; and
14      WHEREAS, In order to improve public and professional
15   awareness and promote the various promising initiatives to
16   reduce the maternal mortality rate, it is both reasonable and
17   appropriate to designate a day as "Maternal Health Awareness
18   Day" in this Commonwealth and invite community members and
19   health care professionals to participate in appropriate
20   activities relating to maternal health, safety and mortality;
21   therefore be it
22      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate January
23   23, 2026, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania to
24   recognize all the women who die from complications of pregnancy
25   or childbirth.




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