AL HJR118

Designates May 10, 2020, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Alabama to raise public and professional awareness about maternal health, safety, and mortality issues.

Approximately 700 women die annually in the United States from pregnancy and childbirth complications, with more than 60 percent of these deaths preventable.

Alabama's maternal mortality rate ranks 48th in the United States and increased 21 percent since 2016, with 41 maternal deaths recorded in 2017.

Significant racial disparities exist in Alabama where Black women are 22 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to White women.

Encourages development of new programs and initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes and calls for investment in a state Maternal Mortality Review Committee.