NEW JERSEY – Legislation sponsored by Senator Kristin Corrado (R-40) and Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-29) that establishes health care requirements to help pregnant women develop postpartum care plans with their medical professionals was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
“Women face unique challenges during pregnancy and postpartum that can significantly impact their body and overall health. Unfortunately, postpartum symptoms can be difficult to identify and lead to complications, or worse, if left untreated,” said Corrado. “By requiring health care professionals to provide information about personalized postpartum care plans we are empowering mothers to prioritize their health and well-being during and after pregnancy. This legislation could help reduce preventable pregnancy-related mortality and enhance women’s healthcare overall.”
Key components of the bill include:
- Requiring health care professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and midwives who provide prenatal maternity care to consult with and ensure that each pregnant woman can develop a comprehensive and personalized postpartum care plan.
- Instructing hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and birthing centers, to provide women receiving maternity care services with information about postpartum care information, including potential health issues and symptoms.
“Ensuring women are explicitly prepared for the postpartum period is crucial to improving maternal health outcomes,” said Majority Leader Ruiz. “Pregnancy and the strain it puts on women’s bodies does not end after giving birth. There are significant and confusing changes that can occur, and mothers should not experience this journey alone. They deserve to know the resources available to them, so that we can bring down maternal mortality rates from complications that are often preventable with proper medical care.”
