Pregnant people across New York City saw their rights expanded and codified as Mayor Eric Adams signed legislation from Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams aimed at supporting maternal health and wellness and particularly targeted at reducing Black maternal mortality and pervasive maternal health disparities. The newly enacted law, co-prime sponsored by Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, creates a maternal health bill of rights, and helps ensure that all pregnant people in New York City have access to that information when they need it most. The landmark legislation was passed by the City Council last month.
“Birth equity is a social justice issue — and it’s one that’s especially urgent and deadly in New York City. It's one that has become personal to my family, and so many families across our city,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This public health crisis is both under-acknowledged and under-addressed, but today, we’re taking invaluable and concrete steps to protect pregnant people in the five boroughs. Through the creation of a maternal health bill of rights with dedicated and sustained outreach to inform people of those rights, we are ensuring that these rights are upheld and New Yorkers are empowered to demand what they deserve. Thank you to Borough President Gibson for your partnership on both this bill and this issue, to the speaker and City Council for taking up these bills, and to the mayor for signing this historic legislation into law today.”
In the United States, Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts – in New York City, Black women are eight to twelve times more likely to die. This is often rooted in medical personnel overlooking, minimizing, or dismissing the health concerns of Black patients. Action on these issues is decades overdue, and while the current administration has taken some steps to address this inequity, maternal mortality and morbidity remains a problem – especially for Black women and pregnant people. Today’s vote is a massive step forwards for all pregnant people in the five boroughs, and towards building a safer and more equitable New York City.
The law enacted today establishes a maternal health bill of rights and ensure a standard set of care for all pregnant people in New York City. It requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), together with the Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and community organizations, to create a public education campaign in facilities that provide obstetric and gynecological care informing patients about the City Standards for Respectful Care at Birth, the right to be free from discrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition, and health care proxy forms.
The legislation also requires DOHMH to inform patients about the right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace, and New York's paid family leave program through promotional materials at their locations. Information is essential to body autonomy and empowering people to seek the care they deserve, and anyone giving birth in New York City should know the rights and options available to them.
This critical legislation comes amid a years long push in the Office of the Public Advocate to end the maternal mortality crisis in New York City, and only months after the Public Advocate shared his own family’s struggles with maternal health. This winter, after a long fertility struggle, a difficult pregnancy, and premature delivery, the Public Advocate and his wife welcomed their newborn daughter, Amani Elisadora. They have shared their story publicly in recent weeks and months in the hopes that it helps other New Yorkers feel supported, heard, and receive the care they need.
Last year, the Office of Public Advocate released an extensive report on the maternal mortality crisis, entitled Equitable Pregnancy Outcomes for Black and Brown New Yorkers, which analyzes systemic issues and outlines potential policy solutions.
“We are in a state of emergency in our country when Black women are still three times more likely to die during childbirth and the mortality rate is even higher for Black women living in New York City,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “Black birthing individuals in our city and across the United States, deserve to receive culturally sensitive, patient-centered care that is attuned to their unique needs free of bias and racism that has resulted in the deaths of too many pregnant people. With today`s legislation, we are saying enough is enough, and that New York City will take action to ensure birthing persons are aware of their rights and are protected under the law. Thank you to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for his partnership in pushing Intro 86-A forward, Mayor Eric Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, the NYC Council Women`s Caucus, and our birth workers for their advocacy in ensuring all birthing individuals in our city receive the unbiased maternal care that they deserve before, during, and after childbirth.”
Our Summer Concert Series at Orchard Beach has been amazing! It’s been such a great experience to join with all of you week after week at our Bronx Riviera for a day of singing and dancing.
