WHEREAS, preventable maternal mortality is a human rights crisis in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. is one of only thirteen countries in the world in which pregnancy-related deaths are on the
rise; and
WHEREAS, Black women in the U.S. suffer from life-threatening pregnancy complications twice as often as White women, and they die from pregnancy-related complications four times as often as White women; and
WHEREAS, racial disparities in pregnancy-related deaths across all income and education levels show that Black women in the U.S. are at a higher risk for poor outcomes than White women; and
WHEREAS, Delaware’s infant mortality rate is 6.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, higher than the national average of 5.8, and masks a significant racial disparity; and
WHEREAS, at 11.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the Delaware Black infant mortality rate is three times higher than the White infant mortality rate of 4.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, the Hispanic infant mortality rate is twice as high as the White infant mortality rate; and
WHEREAS, the 5-year infant mortality rate in Wilmington decreased by 11% for Black babies, decreased by 11.3% for Hispanic babies, and decreased by 23% for White babies; however, the 5-year infant mortality rate in Kent county increased by 77% for Blacks, increased by 16.4% for Hispanics, and decreased by 43% for Whites; and
WHEREAS, Delaware is committed to the health and wellbeing of women and families in our state; and WHEREAS, the State of Delaware - through the efforts of the Delaware Healthy Mother and Infant Consortium,
the Delaware Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and many other stakeholders - works to promote various promising efforts such as the OB Hemorrhage Initiative to reduce maternal and infant mortality, morbidity, and disparities; and improve public and professional awareness of the issues related to improving maternal health outcomes, women’s experiences at childbirth, and critical postpartum care, especially for women of color; and
WHEREAS, Delaware recognizes that every woman deserves quality, affordable, culturally respectful maternal health care and reaffirms a statewide commitment to reducing maternal mortality, morbidity, and racial health disparities among Delaware women; and
WHEREAS, to tackle the problem of maternal mortality, Delaware is committed to developing a multi-faceted approach to addressing persistent and dire health disparities, and the social determinants of health, the conditions under which people live, work, and play; and
WHEREAS, to improve Delaware maternal and infant health outcomes, we must prioritize Black women’s health and lives and commit to taking meaningful action; and
WHEREAS, all Delaware women have the right to safe and respectful maternal health care that supports healthy pregnancies and births; and
WHEREAS, in order to improve public and professional awareness of the issues related to Black maternal health and mortality, and to promote the various promising efforts to reduce Black maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities, it is both reasonable and appropriate to recognize Black Maternal Health Awareness Week in the State of Delaware and to annually invite community members and health care professionals, during this week, to participate in appropriate activities relating to Black maternal health, safety, and mortality.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that we recognize April 11-17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Awareness Week in Delaware.
