pregnancy associated
mortality review committee
SB 1155 establishes the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Committee (Committee) under the Department of Health Services (DHS), specifies the membership of the Committee and lays out procedures for the Committee to obtain information necessary to review cases of pregnancy associated mortality.
SB 1155 was amended in the Health Committee to specify that DHS may only provide assistance to the Committee if DHS receives at least $75,000 in grants, gifts and donations. The amendment also establishes a fund for those monies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control Research and Prevention (CDC), 300-500 pregnancy related deaths are identified in the United States each year. The CDC estimates that there may be another 500-800 deaths that would also qualify as pregnancy related, but are never identified. The leading causes of pregnancy-related death are hemorrhage (bleeding), pulmonary embolism (sudden blockage in the lungs by a blood clot or amniotic fluid) and preeclampsia or eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy). Other causes include infection, heart disease, and complications from anesthesia.
In a report published in 2001 by the CDC, Strategies to Reduce Pregnancy Related Deaths: From Identification and Review to Action, there are four steps involved in pregnancy related mortality surveillance. The first is to identify pregnancy related deaths. The second is to review medical and non-medical causes for the death. The third is to analyze and interpret findings, and the fourth is to act on the findings. The report contends that in the United States, pregnancy mortality surveillance is a public health function primarily coordinated by the states. This may be due to several factors, such as states being more likely to have a sufficient number of cases to study and link to patterns or the ability of states to disseminate information. Early in the 20th century, many states had pregnancy mortality review processes, but as pregnancy related deaths became less common, many states disbanded their review teams.
SB 1155 establishes the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Committee within DHS and specifies the duties and membership of the Committee.
· Allows DHS to establish the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Committee if funds are available.
· Specifies the Committee members and allows the Director of DHS to appoint the members.
· Requires the Committee to:
- Develop a pregnancy associated mortality data collection system.
- Review the circumstances surrounding the death of any woman who died during pregnancy or within one year of being pregnant.
- Create reports on the incidence and causes of pregnancy related fatalities in Arizona.
- Study the adequacy of state laws, services and training to determine if changes are needed.
- Educate on the incidence and causes of pregnancy related fatalities.
· Requires the Committee to select a chairperson at its first meeting.
· Allows members to receive reimbursement for their expenses, but not compensation.
· Allows the committee to request and receive information and records on maternal death from law enforcement, health care providers and the state or political subdivisions.
· Allows the Director of DHS to apply to the Superior Court for information requested by the Committee.
· Exempts a law enforcement agency from having to give the Committee information that it requests if the information relates to a pending investigation or prosecution.
· Keeps all information collected by the Committee confidential and makes a violation of this confidentiality a Class 2 misdemeanor.
· Prohibits questioning a person on testimony given to the Committee if the questioning is being conducted in reference to an administrative, civil or criminal proceeding.
· Closes Committee meetings to the public if the Committee is reviewing an individual case.
· Requires DHS to provide technical and administrative support to the Committee.
· Stipulates that DHS may only provide administrative support to the Committee if it receives at least $75,000 in grants, donations or gifts.
· Allows DHS to accept gifts, grants and donations to provide assistance to the Committee.
· Establishes the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Committee Fund consisting of donations, grants and gifts received by DHS for the Committee.
· Allows DHS to administer the fund and use monies in the fund to pay for administrative support and assistance to the Committee.
· Makes the fund non-lapsing, continuously appropriates funds and states that fund monies do not revert to the general fund.
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45th
Legislature
Second
Regular Session 3 April 9, 2002
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