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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week is being observed from |
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April 11-17, 2025, to raise awareness of racial disparities in |
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maternal health outcomes and to rally support for efforts to reduce |
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maternal mortality and morbidity in Black communities; and |
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WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and |
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Prevention, Black women in the United States are two to three times |
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more likely than White women to die from pregnancy-related |
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complications; due in part to this disparity, the nation has the |
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highest maternal mortality rate among all affluent countries; and |
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WHEREAS, In Texas, Black women also suffer from higher |
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maternal death rates than women of other races; among Black women, |
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more than 134 fatalities occur for every 10,000 delivery |
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hospitalizations, compared to the overall state average of |
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approximately 85 fatalities for every 10,000 delivery |
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hospitalizations; the causes of these disproportionate figures |
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include socioeconomic factors, obstacles to health care access, and |
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historical health inequities; and |
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WHEREAS, The CDC has found that over 80 percent of |
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pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; compounding the issue, |
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more than 46 percent of all Texas counties are considered maternity |
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care deserts, exceeding the national average of 33 percent; as a |
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consequence, many Texas women are left without access to nearby |
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hospitals, birthing centers, or obstetric providers, and midwives, |
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doulas, perinatal health workers, and community-based |
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organizations are further hindered by structural hurdles to |
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providing holistic maternity care; and |
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WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week was created by the Black |
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Mamas Matter Alliance to make Black maternal health a more urgent |
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priority, and the initiative is returning for its eighth year in |
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2025 with the theme "Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal |
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Health Through Collective Action and Advocacy"; and |
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WHEREAS, Addressing maternal health disparities requires |
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ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for everyone, |
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and Black Maternal Health Week serves as an opportune time to |
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reaffirm our commitment to building a future where all mothers, |
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families, and communities thrive; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize April 11-17, 2025, as Black Maternal |
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Health Week and call on all Texans to support the goal of raising |
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the standard of care for mothers in our state and nation. |