Rep. Scott: New legislation would address Kentucky’s alarming maternal mortality rates

Although I am now the parent of two amazing young adults, I can still easily remember how I felt when they were born. Nothing will ever match the joy of those earliest moments, despite having a high-risk pregnancy with my second child.

For too many people, especially those who are Black, what ought to be a beautiful time in their lives turns out to be dangerous and deadly. Childbirth is never easy, but it is much riskier than it should be for a country that claims to have the best healthcare system in the world.

In the United States, pregnant people die at a rate three times higher than those in the European Union. If the pregnant person is Black, the rate is more than seven times higher – and that alarming gap holds true no matter the level of education or income.

What makes this even more tragic is that this disparity is preventable. There is no underlying natural cause that explains why pregnant Black women are twice as likely as their white peers to have life-threatening complications during childbirth. Nor is there is any inherent medical reason for Black people having the highest infant mortality rate of any ethnic or racial group in the United States.

What we do know is that the cure to what ails us will not be found in a lab. Instead, it will take a closer, uncompromising look at the racial disparities that have gotten us to this point – and a commitment to turn what we learn into action that makes a difference.

I want to give parents in Kentucky a chance, and I want to give children in Kentucky a chance. That is why I have pre-filed two bills, with a third on the way, that will tackle this issue from different angles. They call for improving our understanding of maternal health outcomes, increasing access to doulas and reducing discrimination in healthcare.

The first would better define the causes of racial disparities in pregnancy by establishing a state child and maternal fatality review team. This group of physicians and other experts would analyze trends and risk factors and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention and intervention strategies used to save parent and child alike. This team would complement work already being done by a similar group that reviews cases where children are killed or severely injured due to abuse or neglect.

My second piece of legislation would provide direct support to pregnant Kentuckians by allowing Medicaid to cover the cost of doulas, who help new parents navigate the medical system so they can better focus on childbirth and the health of their children. Doulas can and should be a life-changing and life-saving partner at this life-giving moment.

The third bill I will file calls on the Kentucky legislature to ensure every person is treated with dignity and respect during and after pregnancy and childbirth, regardless of race, age, income, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, language proficiency, nationality, or religion.

Taken together, my bills would save lives and make life immeasurably better for new parents and children alike. It’s time for our commonwealth to take these life-saving steps and give Kentucky’s growing families the best start possible.

State Representative Attica Scott serves Kentucky House District 41. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @atticascott4ky.