Bill to identify causes of maternal deaths is on governor’s desk

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill to help reduce maternal deaths in Oklahoma is now on the governor’s desk. Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, and Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, are authors of House Bill 2152. The bill decreases the membership of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) and makes critical data on maternal deaths available to the committee.

“Oklahoma’s maternal death rate is higher than the nation’s, coming in at 31 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births,” Dossett said. “With better data, the MMRC can help us implement better strategies to reduce maternal deaths in Oklahoma.”

"Maternal mortality is unfortunately a serious issue that many Oklahoma families and health care providers are still struggling to understand," Roe said. "House Bill 2152 is a prime example of working across the aisle to improve the lives of all Oklahomans, and I'm glad to see strong support for the bill from both chambers."

Once signed into law, HB 2152 will decrease the size of the MMRC from 25 members to 11. The improved efficiency of a smaller committee will be paired with the following requirements:

• Hospitals will make a reasonable effort to report all maternal deaths to the Chief Medical Examiner within 72 hours of the death.
• Investigations of the reported deaths will no longer be optional.
• The investigative results will be reported back to the MMRC.

The legislation was developed together with 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
Rep. Cynthia Roe: (405) 557-7365 or Cynthia.Roe@okhouse.gov