Bill to better identify cause of death in expecting/new mothers advances

OKLAHOMA CITY – After winning unanimous approval in the Senate Health and Human Services committee Thursday, a bill to help Oklahoma improve its data on maternal deaths will next be considered by the full Senate. Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, are principal authors of House Bill 2152. If enacted, the bill would help better identify the cause of death in pregnant women and new mothers in Oklahoma.

“According to the National Center for Health Statistic’s most recent data, Oklahoma’s maternal death rate was 31 per 100,000 live births,” Dossett said. “With improved data, we can develop strategies and public policy to reduce maternal deaths in our state.”

HB 2152 would:

• Improve the efficiency of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) by moving from 25 members to 11.
• Require hospitals to make a reasonable effort to report all maternal deaths to the Chief Medical Examiner within 72 hours of the death.
• Require investigation of such reported deaths.
• Allow the Chief Medical Examiner to share investigative results back with the MMRC.

The legislation was developed with input from the MMRC, the Oklahoma State Medical Association, the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma Maternal Health Task Force, the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Oklahoma section.

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Jo Anna Dossett: (405) 521-5624 or JoAnna.Dossett@oksenate.gov