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Statement

‘A Major Step Forward for Women’s Health;’ Moms Leaders Applaud New Laws in New Jersey that Aim to Reduce Maternal Mortality in the State

May 10, 2019
Maternal Health, Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Monifa Bandele, Senior Vice President and S. Nadia Hussain, Maternal Justice Campaign Director at MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, including more than 15,000 in New Jersey, on the enactment of four new laws designed to reduce maternal mortality in the state:

“New Jersey took a vitally important step to protect women’s health and lives on Wednesday when Gov. Murphy signed into law four measures designed to reduce maternal mortality and pregnancy complications in the state. These laws will help save moms. They are a major step forward for women’s health and one that is badly needed, since New Jersey ranks 45th out of the 50 states in maternal death rates and Black women in New Jersey are five times more likely to die due to maternal health-related causes than white women, which is even higher than the national average.

“New Jersey’s new laws provide Medicaid coverage for doula care; establish a perinatal episode-of-care pilot program in Medicaid; provide health benefits coverage for certain non-medically indicated early elective deliveries under the state’s Medicaid program, the State Health Benefit Program and the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program; and codify current practice regarding completion of a Perinatal Risk Assessment form by certain Medicaid health care providers.

“MomsRising was so proud to work with many organizations led by women of color to convince state legislators to pass these bills. We applaud New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy for making it a priority to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity and eliminate racial disparities in the state through her #NurtureNJ campaign.

“New Jersey is now leading the way in addressing the scourge of maternal mortality in this country, but there is more work to do. Every year in the United States, 700 - 900 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, and some 65,000 suffer severe complications. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, independent of age, parity or education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 60 percent of maternal deaths in this country are preventable. And, according to the World Health Organization, we are the only industrialized nation in which maternal deaths are rising, not falling. It’s costing Black women their lives. New Jersey is now leading the way to find solutions. Congress and other states must act as well.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.