The vast majority of Americans — 82%, according to a recent Marist poll — support allowing abortions at any stage of pregnancy to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. But five of the 14 states with bans — Idaho, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi — have an exception only to prevent death. (Getty Images)
Michigan House members passed a legislation package Wednesday aimed at giving pregnant people increased access to health care services.
The package focuses on preventative care for pregnant people and their infants to reduce the chances of complications before, during and after the birth.
State Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) on March 12, 2024, at the House Office Building in Lansing | House Democrats photo
“You see in Michigan, our states of maternal morbidity are still abysmal in 2024, and the rates for people of color are even worse,” state Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) said. “My mother, an OB-GYN nursing instructor, talks to me often about some of the saddest cases of pregnancy complications she witnessed that most of the time could have been prevented.”
About 80 to 90 people die every year in the state from a maternal death, and 64% of those deaths are preventable, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Additionally, 6.2 out of 1,000 infants die every year in Michigan, with variations depending on race. Infants with a Black mother are more likely to die than infants with a white mother in their first year, according to a KFF study.
The maternal health care package generally passed with bipartisan support, with the number of GOP votes varying between bills. All 10 bills will now head over to the Senate.
“For far too long, birthing mothers in this country and in this state, frankly, have been being ignored,” Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown Twp.) said. “We have not been listening to our moms telling us what we need. A woman knows what to do when she gives birth, and we need to listen to the power of that woman.”
HB 4728 loosens requirements for regular breast milk donors by not requiring them to test every three months.
HB 5027 requires the Michigan DHHS to establish screening availability requirements for people on Medicaid.
HB 5166 established a state-managed perinatal quality collaborative (PQCs) which would have offices in all ten of Michigan’s prosperity regions. The collaborative is typically aimed at finding interdisciplinary solutions to maternal and infant mortality, and it would collect data to learn more about health in different regions of the state.
“They (PQCs) are well-established, evidence-based networks that have been working tirelessly to address and improve perinatal care across the nation and right here in the great state of Michigan,” said Rep. Stephanie Young (D-Detroit), who sponsored HB 5166.
Study shows sharp increases in maternal deaths over two decades
HB 5167 and HB 5168 allows people on Medicaid to access blood pressure monitors while they are pregnant or postpartum. Health problems related to blood pressure are among the main causes of maternal mortality.
Another cause of death for new parents is mental health concerns, including depression and drug use. HB 5169, HB 5170 and HB 5171 requires health professionals to offer someone who has given birth a mental health screening for up to 18 months after the birth. If needed, the health professional would also be required to direct the person towards resources, including treatment or referrals.
Medicaid would have to cover these screenings, in addition to other health insurers in Michigan.
HB 5172 creates a designation system for health care organizations that provide maternal care. The Michigan DHHS would give the organization a designation between I and IV, with I providing the most basic care and IV providing the most advanced.
Finally, HB 5173 makes information available to parents about enrolling their newborn in an insurance plan. The information would be developed by the DHHS and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS).
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