Boston City Council endorses Out-of-Hospital Birth Access and Safety for Black Maternal Health Week
Bay State Birth Coalition Applauds Boston City Council for Unanimous Resolution in Support of Out-of-Hospital Birth Act & Licensure of Certified Professional Midwives
Resolution, filed by Councilor Julia Meija, recognizes Black Maternal Health Week and critical role of midwives in improving birthing outcomes for people of color
BOSTON, MA - On April 13th, The Boston City Council unanimously passed a Resolution filed by City Councilor Julia Meija: a RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE OUT-OF-HOSPITAL BIRTH ACCESS AND SAFETY ACT (H.2341/S.1519) AND RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
The City Council prioritized this passage in recognition of Black Maternal Health Week in the city of Boston and the need to prioritize public policies that will improve the dismal outcomes for birthing people of color and their babies in the United States. The Resolution underscored that home birth rates have risen exponentially during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs), who perform most home births, are already licensed in 37 states across the country.
“Births at home or in birth centers are a safe, beneficial, and valid reproductive choice that is currently denied to most birthing people here in Massachusetts,” Mejia stated during the Council meeting. City Councilor Kendra Lara added, “We are acknowledging the importance of safer, more equitable access to midwifery care options.”
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States had the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries, affecting Black women at a much higher rate than their white counterparts.
