Maternal Health Awareness Day.
SCR9 recognizes the work of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) and public health initiatives that have contributed to a significant decline in maternal mortality rates in California. The resolution seeks to draw attention not only to past successes but also to the ongoing challenges faced, particularly concerning racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health. Research indicates that Black women, who constitute a small percentage of pregnancies, face disproportionately high pregnancy-related mortality rates, representing 21% of such deaths.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 9 (SCR9), introduced by Senators Weber and Pierson, aims to proclaim January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day in California. This resolution highlights the urgent issues surrounding maternal health, particularly the alarming rates of maternal mortality in the United States, where over 700 women die annually from pregnancy-related complications, many of which are preventable. The resolution emphasizes California's efforts to combat rising maternal mortality rates and its established programs aimed at improving maternal health outcomes.
The sentiment around SCR9 is largely supportive, with legislators and health advocates acknowledging the necessity of addressing maternal health issues openly and collaboratively. The resolution is framed as a call to action, uniting various stakeholders to improve maternal health services and highlight the need for ongoing efforts in screening, mental health care, and community support surrounding maternity care. It emphasizes the importance of investing in public health initiatives that directly impact the well-being of mothers and their infants.
Notable points of contention surround the racial and ethnic disparities evidenced in maternal health outcomes, specifically the three to four times higher mortality rates for Black women compared to others. The bill situates these disparities within the broader context of systemic inequities in healthcare and the closures of maternity services in hospitals, which limit access to birthing care and underscore the need for stronger policy interventions and facility support to enhance maternity care accessibility.