Delaware State Chamber Of Commerce: Leading Children's Health Groups Urge Congress To Act On Maternal And Child Health

Press release from Delaware State Chamber of Commerce:

December 6, 2021

Nemours Children’s Health, March of Dimes, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago are urging congressional passage of pending legislation to reduce the nation’s high maternal mortality rate and providing equitable access to high-quality care for mothers and children.

"Creating the healthiest generations of children requires going beyond high-quality clinical care. It also requires reducing health disparities that impact the children and families we serve," said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, president and CEO of Nemours Children's Health. "We need bold federal policies with wide-reaching impact to achieve generational change. These policies are exactly what our nation's children need."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world at 20 per 10,000. The maternal health crisis is particularly dire for women of color with significant disparities in outcomes for Black, Native American, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander mothers.

The four children’s health advocates asked Congress to support the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act and the Black Maternal Health “Momnibus” Act. The groups said that both measures would provide better access to high-quality, holistic maternal health care, while also addressing the social, economic, and community drivers of these health disparities. The Build Back Better Act, which passed the House but awaits Senate action, includes short-term funding for elements of the “Momnibus.”

Their call for action came during the second Hot Topics in Neonatology: Cindy Pellegrini Maternal & Child Health Advocacy Event. The event featured a discussion on both pieces of legislation by 85 participants representing 21 states. The participants then met with congressional offices to implore action to support better health outcomes for mothers and children.

“March of Dimes is leading the fight to improve the health of all moms and babies. We cannot bring real change alone and it’s only through partnership efforts like today’s Cindy Pellegrini Maternal & Child Health Advocacy Event that we can achieve comprehensive policy change to improve maternal and child health. We’re honored to support Cindy’s legacy by fighting against long-standing health disparities that have put Black women at an increased risk of higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity,” said Stacey D. Stewart, President & CEO, March of Dimes. “That is why we have joined together to push for two key pieces of legislation – the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act and the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act – that will make a real difference in improving the quality of care for mothers and their babies and thereby improve children’s long-term health and wellness.”

The Cindy Pellegrini Maternal & Child Health Advocacy Event is named in honor of Cindy Pellegrini who passed away in 2019. Pellegrini was a widely respected advocate who dedicated her life to improving the health and well-being of children and their families by working tirelessly to advance federal, state, and local policies on behalf of women and babies.

For more information, visit www.hottopicsinneonatology.org/.

This press release was produced by Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.