HLS 23RS-979 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 16
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Recognizes April 11-17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health
Week in the state
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To recognize April 11-17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Week.
3 WHEREAS, the wonders of pregnancy and childbirth can be the beginning joys of
4motherhood, leading to a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment; while many women
5experience pregnancy and childbirth with few challenges, each year there are women who
6needlessly face short-term, long-term, and dangerous complications, with some
7complications resulting in death; and
8 WHEREAS, compared to white women, black women are more likely to experience
9preventable maternal death; in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for black women was more
10than fifty-five deaths per one hundred thousand live births; according to the Centers for
11Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, eight hundred sixty-one women died of maternal
12causes in the United States; in 2021, that number rose to one thousand two hundred five
13women who died of maternal causes in this country, as reported by the National Center for
14Health Statistics; this translates into more than thirty-three deaths per one hundred thousand
15live births nationally; and
16 WHEREAS, Louisiana unfortunately leads the nation with the highest maternal
17mortality rate; according to the Louisiana Department of Health, black mothers are four
18times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than their white counterparts; the
19alarming rate of black maternal mortality in this state can be attributed to a number of factors
20including systemic bias, socioeconomic status, lack of access to quality health care, and lack
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HCR NO. 16
1of adequate health coverage; experiencing pregnancy and childbirth should not be a death
2sentence for any woman because of her station in life; and
3 WHEREAS, reducing the number of preventable maternal deaths and reducing health
4disparities among women should be a top priority of this state; it can be shown that
5improving health outcomes for pregnancy and childbirth increases the survival rate of
6mothers and their ability to raise their own children and makes a positive impact on the state;
7and
8 WHEREAS, it is important to support every woman who experiences pregnancy and
9childbirth; it is vital for healthcare providers to recognize the signs of and properly diagnose
10maternal complications in a timely and effective manner so that appropriate treatment can
11be rendered; and
12 WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week is dedicated to building awareness,
13activism, and community and is recognized every year, from April 11-17, as part of the
14observation of National Minority Health Month in April; and
15 WHEREAS, in an effort to increase awareness of maternal and infant health
16outcomes black women endure, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., launched its initiative and
17essential program, Project CRADLE Care, and has joined forces with many other
18organizations to highlight and recognize Black Maternal Health Week.
19 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
20recognize April 11-17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Week in the state.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
22executive director of Black Mamas Matter Alliance and the president of the Mu Sigma
23Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., in Baton Rouge.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 16 Original 2023 Regular Session Carpenter
Recognizes April 11-17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Week in La.
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