House adopts Curry’s Black Maternal Health Week resolution
PA Black Maternal Health Caucus April 10, 2024 | 2:27 PM
HARRISBURG, April 10 – State Rep. Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware, said she is excited to announce that the House has adopted a resolution (H.R. 373) to recognize the maternal health crisis and Black maternal health in Pennsylvania.
House Resolution 373 recognizes the week of April 11 through 17, 2024, as the second annual "Black Maternal Health Week" to bring attention to the maternal health crisis in Pennsylvania and the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women.
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among affluent countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate of Black women, with the rate of preterm birth among Black women nearly 50% higher than the preterm birth rate among White or Hispanic women. The high rates of maternal mortality among Black women span across income levels, education levels and socioeconomic status, Curry said.
“These statistics are not new,” Curry said. “But sadly, an alarming number of people are still unaware just how dire the situation is for Black mommas here in Pennsylvania and the United States. While we are doing everything we can to take action in the legislature, we also cannot afford to stop talking about Black maternal health. That’s why I am so glad we have established Black Maternal Health Week in the commonwealth. By establishing this week, we encourage people and healthcare providers to get educated about this issue and learn how they can better care for themselves, their children, their family, and their neighbors.”