Senator Tim Kaine, Lisa Murkowski introduce bipartisan legislation to reduce inequities in maternal mortality

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Senators Tim Kaine and Lisa Murkowski reintroduced the Mothers and Newborns Success Act on March 23 in an effort to reduce inequalities in maternal and infant mortality.

“What we know in Virginia and nationally is that African American women and Tribal women have a dramatically higher rate of maternal mortality, death during pregnancy in the first year after delivery than do white women,” Senator Kaine said on a call with reporters.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women.

“The heart of it [the bill] is grants for innovative state programs that have shown success in maternal mortalities and especially bringing down the disparities that I have discussed,” Sen. Kaine said.

This bill would support the CDC’s research on maternal deaths, work with the Health Resources and Services Administration State Maternal Health Innovation Program to share best practices on maternal health with providers and patients, and much more.

“There are some really great examples of programs in Virginia and elsewhere, we just need to fund them, give them a bit of a spotlight and we can all learn from the practices that they are embracing in creative ways,” Sen. Kaine said.

For more information on the bill, click here.