AHA sponsors Congressional Black Caucus panel on Black maternal health

Sep 24, 2020 - 04:22 PM
Image of stethoscope on woman's pregnant belly

AHA Sept. 23 sponsored the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference session, “Advancing Black Maternal Health: Moving the Momnibus and Coverage Expansion Forward.”

The panel, hosted by Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., and featuring Reps. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Robin Kelly, D-Ill., and Lucy McBath, D-Ga., discussed the state of maternal health for Black women and federal legislation — including the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 6142/S. 3424) — that would help stem preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity and eliminate disparities in maternal outcomes.

AHA and its American Organization for Nursing Leadership subsidiary strongly support the legislation, which was introduced in March. Earlier this year, Rep. Underwood spoke to AHA about her efforts to elevate the Black maternal health crisis in Congress; listen to that conversation on this Advancing Health podcast.

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