Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization

Summary#

This bill, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2025, changes a section of the Public Health Service Act that supports State maternal mortality review committees. It adds obstetricians and gynecologists to a list of clinical specialties for committee participation. It directs committees to work with death certifiers to improve death records and allows amending cause-of-death information on death certificates when appropriate. The bill also requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), working with the Health Resources and Services Administration, to share best practices on preventing maternal death and severe maternal illness with hospitals, State professional society groups, and perinatal quality collaboratives at least once per year. Finally, it replaces prior authorized funding levels with $100,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2025 through 2029 to support the program.

What it means for you#

  • Hospitals, State professional medical societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives could receive an annual set of CDC best practices on preventing maternal death and severe maternal illness.
  • State maternal mortality review committees would continue to receive federal support and would be encouraged to include obstetricians and gynecologists and to coordinate with officials who certify deaths to improve death records.
  • If you work in a State health department, hospital, or perinatal quality collaborative, this bill would create or continue federal resources and guidance you might use.

Expenses#

  • The bill authorizes $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to support the program and related activities.
  • The bill replaces earlier language that had authorized $58,000,000 for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
  • No publicly available information on total projected federal outlays, budget offsets, or detailed spending breakdowns beyond the authorization amounts.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.