Is This 2019 or 1919?
by Gail Riecken CCO Statehouse Editor
What is wrong with this picture? Does Indiana continue to be ranked high in infant mortality?  7th in the Nation. And, Indiana’s maternal mortality rate is twice the national average– over 40 percent!
https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/health-of-women-and-children/measure/maternal_mortality/state/IN
How far have we really come from the early days of public health nursing? It doesn’t look like we have progressed much in the field of maternal and child health.
However, I see hope in our State Senate.
SB 278 Â provides immunity and expanded authority to certain persons in infant mortality teams so they can gather better information and plan better programs to counter infant mortality. Vanderburgh Co continues to reduce our mortality rate (11% to 7%) Â Testimony from a Vanderburgh team member says this bill will help team members working with neighboring counties. This bill should become State law with no problem.
Curbing Infant and maternal mortality is about collecting good information, finding good health practices to combat the problems and getting that information to young girls and women.
So, when a bill comes about like SB 352, it should pass easily. But….
SB 352, a bill that allows medical personnel to treat a pregnant patient or patient in labor under 16 without parent consent, fails to pass the Senate by one vote.
Mary Beth Schneider, Statehouse File (January 31), in her article notes that twenty percent of underage teens are having babies. She quotes Senator Jean Leising:
“If it is normal labor, under the law right now (physicians) can’t do anything but catch the babyâ€,†Senator Leising said. “ Think about that 16 – year – old with 18-hour labor in an emergency room with no parent, no guardian and nothing to ease those contractions.â€
SB 352 failed but deserves another vote. If one Senator who voted against SB352 ( Bassler, Ford Jon, Houchin, Messmer, Tomes in our extended area) would change their vote, this could be brought back Tuesday the 5th for another vote. Â That is the last day.
I’ve walked in three Women’s Marches in the last three years and I am proud of the issues the Marches represent. But sadly,  I’ve never have seen a sign that says “Stop Mothers Dying!†Or “Help Save Our Babies After-Birth!â€.
Maybe looking ahead toward 2020, the 100th anniversary of the year of women’s right to vote, we can include maternal and infant mortality in the Women’s Marches agendas and continue progressive discussions, like these in the State Senate.
