U.S. Senator Katie Britt is pushing bipartisan legislation aimed at improving maternal health care, saying Alabama and the nation should not accept preventable pregnancy-related deaths as a reality in 2025.
Britt recently reintroduced the NIH IMPROVE Act, which would secure consistent federal funding for research on maternal care and mortality.
The measure would authorize more than $73 million a year for seven years to strengthen scientific research into the root causes of the maternal mortality crisis.
Britt says the federal government must prioritize mothers’ health before, during, and after pregnancy.
“I’m proud to fight for moms and women across Alabama and America. This bipartisan legislation will support targeted funding for critical research to improve health outcomes for women throughout their pregnancy journey,” Senator Britt (R-Montgomery) said.
Alabama remains one of the most dangerous states to give birth, and Britt argues that the risks fall most heavily on women who are already vulnerable.
Maternal mortality affects women in rural regions and women of color, including Black and Native American women, at significantly higher rates.
Britt pressed NIH leadership earlier this year, saying these outcomes cannot be tolerated in a nation with strong medical systems.
“Far too many women in this country are dying from pregnancy-related causes. You look at Alabama, we have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. It disproportionately affects black women, Native American women, women in rural areas … It’s 2025. These numbers should be moving in the opposite direction.”
More than one-third of Alabama counties are maternity care deserts, lacking birthing facilities or OB-GYNs.
Recent labor and delivery closures in both Shelby and Monroe counties deepened an already fragile care landscape. With mortality rates reaching 59.7 deaths per 100,000 births, Alabama ranks among the worst states for maternal outcomes.
Britt’s maternal health push is part of a wider effort to expand women’s health services, particularly for women in underserved areas. Alongside the NIH IMPROVE Act, Britt has supported bipartisan legislation to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for breast cancer diagnostic tests through the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act.
She also helped reintroduce the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, which would expand access to urgent maternal care by supporting rural health care facilities and providers.
Her efforts include securing federal appropriations funding to modernize medical equipment and strengthen rural health services in Alabama, while continuing to prioritize health care funding in upcoming budget cycles.
The IMPROVE Act has earned support from leading maternal health organizations, including March of Dimes and the Women’s First Research Coalition.
March of Dimes, which Britt has publicly supported, recently reported that the United States remains one of the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth and gave the country a D+ grade in preterm birth rates for the fourth consecutive year.
Britt says the goal is straightforward: to invest in solutions that save lives and ensure women across Alabama—and nationwide—receive care worthy of the 21st century.
“I’m committed to ensuring the NIH remains the gold-standard of research and provides solutions to improve health outcomes for women before, during, and after pregnancy.”
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
