The U.S. has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world, and 60 percent are preventable. The death of Lauren Bloomstein, a neonatal nurse, in the hospital where she worked illustrates a profound disparity: the health care system focuses on babies but often ignores their mothers.
Please urge your senators to pass S 1112- “Preventing Maternal Deaths.” We have been waiting through the terms of this congress to arrive at the pinnacle of victory or at the precipice of ignominious defeat if Congress ends its term and fails to pass this bill, crushing the hopes of so many Americans — especially of color — and of nursing professionals who want to be able to bring joy, hope and exhilaration with the birth of a baby and end the dismal outcomes finally of pregnancy and childbirth.
I can supply more information that can better inform about policy and procedures that must be addressed to appropriately addresses the daunting challenges ahead of us. But there will be time for that. First Enact the S 1112 before the end of the session. I have called the Washington offices of Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and urged their support.
S 1112 is the Senate Version of the HB 1318 which was passed in the House recently after it inexplicably lay fallow for no good reason for two years while the terrible outcomes of pregnancy continued to cause grave harm to thousands of American women. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill to fund state committees to review and investigate deaths of expectant and new mothers.
Dr. Velandy Manohar is a charter member of the Connecticut Multicultural Health Partnership. A native of India, he has been a physician in the U.S. since 1967.