‘Michigan Momnibus’ seeks to increase maternal health protections, combat inequities

State lawmakers say they are taking steps to improve prenatal and maternal health care for all birthing people, especially Black and Brown mothers who have historically had disproportionately bad outcomes.

Known as the “Michigan Momnibus” legislation, the package of eight bills aims to increase reporting on obstetric violence and racism and create additional protections to ensure the safety and wellbeing of mothers.

The bills all passed the state Senate on Tuesday, Dec. 3. They’ll need to be passed by the state House before heading to the governor’s desk for final approval later this month.

“It’s a really good day,” state Sen. Erika Geiss, a sponsor of two bills in the package, said with a tear running down her face. She said she’s hopeful the House will quickly review and approve the proposals, which would send them to the governor’s desk to be signed before the end of the calendar year.

Black mothers in the U.S. are more likely to die at three times the rate than white mothers, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2022, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, more than twice the rate for white women (19).

There are various factors that contribute to these disparities, like access to quality healthcare, underlying medical conditions, systemic racism and bias.

Related: Here’s how Michigan is trying to combat maternal and infant mortality

In Michigan, 80 to 90 maternal deaths occur each year, according to the Michigan Maternal Mortality Surveillance Program. Officials say nearly 64% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

Geiss said the proposed bills will improve reproductive justice and reproductive health for Michigan residents, making sure they have quality care and that the state collects necessary data to improve outcomes and reduce maternal and infant death.

“This package is about making sure the people who want to and are choosing to have a child or to expand their families are able to do so in a way that’s going to be the most healthy for them, not just physically healthy but emotionally healthy as well so that they have the best experience,” Geiss said.

Legislators are revving up activity in the closing weeks of the year, before the next wave of lawmakers step in in January. The Momnibus bills had been introduced in April but didn’t move out of committee until October.

Senate Bill 818 would require the state health department to include studies and reports on biased or unjust perinatal care, including instances of obstetric violence or racism.

Senate Bill 819 would require the state’s Department of Civil Rights to receive reports utilizing a measurement of patient-reported experience to identify instances of violence or racism.

Other aspects of the package would:

• Require hospitals to have a policy for patient protection;
• Require the state to collect information on malpractice insurers’ policies related to perinatal care;
• Protect a designated patient advocate’s ability to make life-sustaining treatment decisions regardless of pregnancy status;
• Establish a plan, without punishment, for safe care for an infant and parent if the infant is shown to be affected by alcohol or a controlled substance;
• Adds licenses midwives to the state’s essential provider repayment program.

Related: State initiatives aim to address high death rates among Black Michigan mothers

Lawmakers say the bills would “amplify the voices of Black birthing people, mothers, women, families, and stakeholders.”

As it relates to maternal and infant health in recent years, Geiss said the state has taken one step forward and two steps back. Even with a Maternal Review Committee, which reviews maternal deaths and recommends policy changes, Geiss said it’s amazing that pregnant people still have “horrible, life-threatening experiences, and often preventable ones.”

She hopes the additional reporting requirements in the bill package will be used by future policymakers to enact positive change.

“How do we turn that information into making sure its not just words on paper somewhere, but that we are creating the paths to do something to improve these scenarios,” Geiss said.