Nation’s Ob-Gyns Celebrate Passage of Landmark Legislation to Prevent Maternal Mortality

Washington, DC—Lisa Hollier, M.D., MPH, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, which now proceeds to the president’s desk for enactment. 

“Today marks a major step toward eliminating preventable maternal deaths in our country. ACOG is thrilled that the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Preventing Maternal Deaths Act before the year’s end. This landmark legislation has been a long-held goal for ACOG and is a crucial step to reversing our country’s rising maternal mortality rate.

“ACOG extends our deep appreciation to the bill’s sponsors, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Ryan Costello (R-PA). We also want to thank the key committee leaders without whom this vital legislation would not have advanced, including Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA); House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ); and House E&C Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Burgess, MD, FACOG (R-TX) and Ranking Member Gene Green (D-TX). In addition, we share our appreciation for Senate and House leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for ensuring this bipartisan legislation crossed the finish line before the end of the year.

“Finally, ACOG offers our sincerest thanks to our ob-gyn members for their tremendous effort and countless hours of advocating on Capitol Hill and to all of our partner organizations whom we have worked with along the way. Because of our shared commitment to this cause we have taken a critical step to eliminating preventable maternal deaths in our country.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is the nation’s leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of more than 58,000 members, ACOG strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women’s health care. www.acog.org