Washington D.C. – On May 15, following the celebration of Mother’s Day, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) introduced the Maternal Vaccination Act to protect the health of mothers and babies by increasing maternal and childhood vaccination rates. The legislation was included as a part of the larger “Momnibus,” a package of 13 bills that would address the United States’ urgent maternal health crisis. Rep. Sewell is a proud member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus.
“As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we must also commit to solving our country’s urgent maternal health crisis,” said Rep. Sewell. “In this nation of so much wealth and prosperity, it is simply unconscionable that our mothers continue to die during pregnancy and childbirth at the highest rate in the developed world.”
“Up to 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable,” continued Sewell. “Our Maternal Vaccination Act will save lives by helping to ensure that our most vulnerable moms and babies are protected against deadly, preventable diseases.”
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, and it is rapidly getting worse. Recent data from the CDC show that maternal deaths in recent years have increased by a dramatic 40%. But there is hope; more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, and federal action is needed to comprehensively address the drivers of this crisis and save moms’ lives.
The Maternal Vaccination Act will provide funding for a public and provider awareness campaign to promote maternal and child vaccinations, including initiatives to:
- Increase awareness about the safety, importance, and effectiveness of vaccines for pregnant and postpartum people and their children;
- Provide targeted, evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate resources about vaccines to pregnant and postpartum people, particularly in communities with historically low vaccination rates; and
- Provide evidence-based information and resources on the safety and importance of maternal and child vaccinations to public health departments, maternal health care providers, and perinatal health workers.
Read more about the Momnibus here.
Original source can be found here.
