Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Lauren Underwood and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), together with Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), reintroduced the NIH IMPROVE Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure consistent funding for research on maternal care and mortality.
In 2019, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative. The IMPROVE Initiative supports research to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths and improve health care for women before, during, and after pregnancy.
However, this critical research program lacks a sustained funding source, threatening research outcomes and conclusions. The NIH IMPROVE Act would authorize consistent funding for this existing program for the next seven years, providing NIH the support and resources to pursue research into the root causes of America’s maternal mortality crisis.
“Six years ago, we worked with the National Institutes of Health to start the IMPROVE Initiative to make smart investments in comprehensive research and evidence-based solutions that save moms’ lives and advance birth equity,” said Representative Lauren Underwood. “Since 2019, IMPROVE has invested more than $200 million in life-saving research that will help end our nation’s maternal health crisis. Our bipartisan NIH IMPROVE Act will advance maternal health research by permanently authorizing funding for IMPROVE, making sure that NIH can continue this critical work.”
“Far too many maternal deaths in America are preventable, and addressing that reality demands research that is stable, long-term, and grounded in measurable outcomes. The NIH IMPROVE Act locks in the dedicated funding NIH’s maternal health portfolio needs to track outcomes over time, evaluate what works in high-risk settings, and direct resources to the communities facing the greatest challenges,” said Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens a proven NIH initiative and ensures that mothers across our nation benefit from research that saves lives and improves care throughout the entire pregnancy journey.”
“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,” said Senator Katie Britt. “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.”
“Studies show that 80% of maternal deaths are preventable, and the NIH IMPROVE Act is a critical step forward in addressing our nation’s ongoing maternal health crisis,” said Senator Cory Booker. “This bipartisan legislation expands research and strengthens data collection so we can better understand how to save lives and close long-standing disparities in care.”
The NIH IMPROVE Act would authorize $53.4 million annually for seven years to carry out the IMPROVE Initiative and support research on potential causes of maternal mortality and severe morbidity. Additionally, the act would approve research that would target disparities associated with maternal mortality and severe morbidity, and aim to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths, as well as build an evidence base for improved care and outcomes in underserved maternal care deserts.
Information on projects funded by the IMPROVE program can be found on the Momnibus Money Tracker here.
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