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House Resolution 426
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
rd
, Jackson of the 68
th
, Davis of the 87
th
, Cannon of
the 58
th
, Burnough of the 77
th
, and others
A RESOLUTION
Urging the General Assembly to support the creation of a Black Maternal Health Caucus; and
1
for other purposes.2
WHEREAS, the United States has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among3
high-income countries, with approximately 700 to 900 pregnancy related deaths per year; and4
WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 805
percent of pregnancy related deaths in the United States are preventable; and6
WHEREAS, the United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates among7
high-income countries, currently ranking 33 out of 36 countries belonging to the8
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with an average of 5.589
deaths per 1,000 live births; and10
WHEREAS, there is a growing body of evidence that racism and racial bias in healthcare11
systems contribute to the national maternal mortality and morbidity crisis and infant12
mortality and morbidity, in particular for Black pregnant and postpartum women and infants;13
and14
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WHEREAS, in the United States, Black women are three to four times more likely to die of
15
pregnancy related causes than non-Hispanic white women, which is a disparity that cannot16
be fully explained by differences in access to prenatal care, socioeconomic status, and17
general physical health; and18
WHEREAS, a key objective of the Georgia Department of Public Health is to reduce health19
and mental health disparities among vulnerable and underserved communities and to achieve20
health equity throughout Georgia, which should include health equity for Black pregnant21
women and infants; and22
WHEREAS, statistics have shown that Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality23
rates in the United States at almost twice the national rate; and24
WHEREAS, in Georgia, Black women are almost three times more likely to die of pregnancy25
related causes than non-Hispanic white women; and26
WHEREAS, Georgia has experienced a string of hospital labor and delivery closures across27
the state, especially in rural areas; and28
WHEREAS, in Georgia, 34.6 percent of counties are defined as maternity care deserts,29
compared to 32.6 percent in the United States; and30
WHEREAS, chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity,31
and diabetes, contribute to high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, and, in Georgia,32
Black women have egregious above-average rates of all of these conditions, resulting in33
high-risk pregnancies and poor maternal health outcomes; and34
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WHEREAS, Medicaid coverage for doula care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is
35
linked to improved maternal and infant health outcomes, as doula-assisted mothers were four36
times less likely to have a baby with low birth weight, two times less likely to experience a37
birth complication for the mother or infant, and significantly more likely to initiate38
breastfeeding; and39
WHEREAS, access to quality prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum care is essential to40
improving Black maternal health outcomes and reducing preventable maternal deaths; and41
WHEREAS, the establishment of a dedicated Georgia legislative Black Maternal Health42
Caucus will provide the necessary framework to research, develop, and recommend43
evidence-based policies and programs to improve maternal health in Georgia; and44
WHEREAS, the establishment of a Georgia legislative Black Maternal Health Caucus will45
serve as a coalition of members dedicated to increasing awareness and raising issues related46
to poor maternal health outcomes and disparities among Black women, including47
disproportionately high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality compared to their white48
counterparts.49
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that50
the members of this body urge the General Assembly to create a Georgia legislative Black51
Maternal Health Caucus as a venue for members to organize around Georgia's maternal52
health crisis and advance policy solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and end53
disparities.54
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
55
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the56
public and the press.57
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