Bill Overview
Title: Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2022
Description: This bill expands the scope of the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to include research and activities to prevent stillbirths.
Sponsors: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
Target Audience
Population: People globally who are directly impacted by measures to prevent stillbirths, including expectant mothers and healthcare providers
Estimated Size: 50000
- Preventing stillbirths is an aspect of maternal and child health that impacts expectant mothers directly.
- Globally, around 2 million stillbirths occur annually, impacting a similar number of families and communities.
- The legislation would primarily impact women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
- Health professionals who provide maternal care could also be impacted, as they may need to implement new practices or guidelines resulting from the research.
- Indirectly, family members of expectant mothers will be impacted due to the emotional and psychological effects associated with stillbirths.
Reasoning
- The policy targets mothers who are expecting or planning to have children, which is approximately 50,000 women annually in the U.S. who may experience stillbirths.
- Healthcare professionals, especially those in obstetrics and gynecology, are indirectly affected as they may need to incorporate new preventive measures into their practices.
- Given the budget, the focus will likely be on research, training, and implementation of new practices in high-impact areas.
- Considering the emotional and psychological toll of stillbirths, family members of expectant mothers are also indirectly affected.
Simulated Interviews
Nurse (Iowa)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I really hope this act brings more awareness and research funding to prevent stillbirths.
- I wish this had been in place during my last pregnancy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Software Engineer (California)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing there's more research being done to prevent stillbirth is reassuring.
- It gives me more confidence as I plan for a family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Obstetrician (Texas)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy that supports more research and resources to prevent stillbirths is a step in the right direction.
- This will likely change our hospital's protocols, which is necessary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Public Health Researcher (New York)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This new policy is crucial for advancing maternal health.
- I'm eager to see new data and findings emerge from this initiative.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Stay-at-home Mom (Georgia)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a necessary move and a bit of hope for mothers like me.
- Having experienced a loss, I know how crucial prevention research is.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Health Policy Analyst (Illinois)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's an important policy to push systemic change in maternal healthcare.
- Long-term benefits of this policy could redefine maternal health standards.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
High School Teacher (Florida)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This adds clarity and more optimism about my pregnancy journey.
- It tells me more preventative measures will be in place.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Midwife (Massachusetts)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With more funding, our clinic can better support our expecting mothers.
- This expands our capacity to reduce stillbirths.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Father (Colorado)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While not directly impacted, knowing there's emphasis on prevention gives me peace of mind as a soon-to-be father.
- Policies like this are important for my family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Nurse (New Mexico)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a vital step towards improving maternal healthcare, especially in underserved areas.
- I hope it brings more educated nurses into the fold.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 2: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 3: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 5: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 10: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Year 100: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Key Considerations
- The act might require cooperation and coordination with federal and state healthcare agencies to effectively implement new guidelines and research findings.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of resources to underserved communities that might be disproportionately affected by stillbirths is critical.
- Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms should be enacted to track the efficacy of the initiatives undertaken.