WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) introduced the Perinatal Workforce Act, legislation to address the urgent maternal health care crisis in the United States. Specifically, the bill will help grow the perinatal workforce by creating grant programs to increase the number of maternity care providers and workers who provide care during and after pregnancy. 

“No mother should have to worry about whether she can find quality care during one of the most important moments of her life. Sadly, the reality is that too many women — especially women of color — face dangerous gaps in maternity care that put their and their babies’ lives at risk,” said Senator Baldwin. “That’s why I am proud to work with my colleagues to help address disparities and ensure that every mother has access to the care and support that she not only needs, but deserves.” 

“More than 80 percent of maternal deaths are preventable, so we must make critical interventions to save lives. Our Perinatal Workforce Act helps build the maternal workforce that we need to keep mothers and their babies healthy while meeting their cultural needs and addressing the shortage of perinatal workers. Congress must pass the Perinatal Workforce Act as well as the other bills in the Momnibus, as they are critical first steps in addressing the maternal health crisis,” said Congresswoman Moore. 

“It is disturbing and unacceptable that Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women—a glaring sign that the inequities in our health care system are costing lives and hitting communities of color the hardest,” said Senator Merkley. “We must do everything we can—including supporting more diversity and representation within our perinatal workforce—to fix this and ensure that every person in America receives high-quality maternity care.”

The U.S. has the worst maternal health outcomes and maternal health disparities of any high-income country and it’s rapidly getting worse. One driving force of the U.S. maternal health crisis is a lack of access to maternity care, and to culturally congruent maternity care and support specifically. More than 1,100 American counties are “maternity care deserts,” with no hospitals offering obstetric care and zero obstetric providers, and more than 2.3 million women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts. 

Women in maternity care deserts are more likely to have asthma and hypertension than women in counties with full access to maternity care, putting them at greater risk for pregnancy complications and pregnancy-related death. Research shows a wide range of community-based approaches could improve maternal health outcomes and patients’ experiences, including efforts to ensure that providers are better trained to address racism and work to build a more diverse health care workforce.

The Perinatal Workforce Act will:  

  • Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to (1) provide guidance to states on the promotion of racially, ethnically, and professionally diverse maternity care teams and (2) to study how culturally congruent maternity care promotes better outcomes for moms, especially in communities of color.  
  • Provide funding to establish and scale programs that will grow and diversify the maternal health clinical and non-clinical workforce, increasing the number of nurses, midwives, physician assistants, doulas, and other perinatal health workers who moms can trust throughout their pregnancies, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period.
  • Study the barriers that prevent women – particularly from underserved communities – from entering maternity care professions and receiving equitable compensation.  

The Perinatal Workforce Act is supported by a number of Wisconsin organizations, including Planned Parenthood Wisconsin, Wisconsin Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, United Way of Dane County, Children’s Wisconsin, Kids Forward, The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, African American Breastfeeding Network, Black Child Development Institute, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC), Wisconsin Doulas of Color Collective Inc., State Senator Dora Drake, State Rep. Robyn Vining, and Wisconsin DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. 

“As a mom and fierce advocate for maternal healthcare access in Wisconsin, I am proud to again support the Perinatal Workforce Act! Every pregnant person deserves affordable, accessible healthcare, and through legislation like the Perinatal Workforce Act, we can take critical steps to address maternal health, and the racial disparities in maternal healthcare. I want to extend my gratitude to Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman Moore for their work on this legislation,” said Wisconsin State Representative Robyn Vining. 

“The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness proudly supports the reintroduction of the Perinatal Workforce Act. At a time when maternal health providers are declining in many parts of the country and maternity care deserts continue to expand, investing in a diverse perinatal workforce has never been more urgent. Expanding support for midwives, nurses, physicians, doulas, and community health workers who provide culturally congruent care will help ensure that mothers and babies receive the care and advocacy they deserve throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. For Black families, who continue to experience the most severe maternal and infant health disparities in the nation, these investments are not optional—they are lifesaving. The Perinatal Workforce Act represents a smart, evidence-based pathway to strengthen care teams, improve birth outcomes, and move our nation closer to true maternal health equity,” said Lisa M. Peyton, CEO & President of The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. 

“The Perinatal Workforce Act represents a vital step toward ensuring that every family has the support they need from pregnancy through postpartum. By expanding and diversifying the perinatal care workforce, we are not only addressing the maternal health crisis but also building a foundation for healthier communities. This legislation recognizes that culturally competent care saves lives and strengthens families, and I join Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman Moore in urging Congress to pass this critical bill without delay,” said Wisconsin State Senator Dora Drake, Chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus. 

“Making sure all moms receive respectful and culturally congruent care leads to healthy pregnancies, positive birth experiences, and a strong start for their babies. I commend Senator Baldwin and Representative Moore for introducing the Perinatal Workforce Act to grow and diversify this vital workforce and to improve maternal health outcomes in Wisconsin and across the country,” said Wisconsin DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. 

A one-pager on the bill is available here. Full text of the bill is available here. 

An online version of this release is available here.