Kentucky has some of the worst maternal mortality outcomes in the world, where Black birthing people are 3x as likely to die than their white counterparts. It's time to end the maternal health crisis in Kentucky.
Senate Bill 67 authorizes freestanding birthing centers in Kentucky, empowering birthing people with more options for their birthing experience. The bill will establish licensure standards for freestanding birthing centers, including requiring accreditation by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers, compliance with the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Standards for Birth Centers, and consistent plans for transfer and safe transport to a hospital as needed.
WHY DO WE NEED BIRTHING CENTERS?
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy nations, and is the only wealthy country whose maternal mortality rate has increased in recent decades. At 40.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, Kentucky's maternal mortality rate is higher than the national average of 17.4 and among the highest in the nation. Some statistics show 75 percent of maternal deaths in Kentucky are preventable.
Birthing centers are just one way to address the maternal mortality crisis in Kentucky, but they're a necessary one. They're designed to provide a more homelike setting for childbirth, especially for birthing people who have been harmed by implicit bias in the traditional healthcare system. The Center for Health Equity say to address the systemic, structural, and contextual factors that influence the societal well-being of Black birthing people and their children in Kentucky, we must increase access to Black-led community-based healthcare providers and center Black Women’s leadership in addressing Black maternal health.
Bill Movement:
- Introduced: 2/9/2023
- Passed Committee: 2/21/2023
- Passed House or Senate: N/A
- Accepted by House or Senate: N/A
- Passed Committee: N/A
- Passed House or Senate: N/A
- Sent to Governor: N/A
- Action by Governor: N/A
