Federal Policies to Support the Maternal Health of Our Nation’s Servicemembers

There are approximately 230,000 active-duty women and nearly two million women veterans in the United States. Over 500,000 women veterans are under 40 years of age, underscoring the importance of implementing federal policies that support this growing population. To meet the needs of this demographic, Congress succeeded in passing two maternal health bills, the Military Moms Mental Health Assessment Act and the TRICARE Coverage for Doula Support Act within the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This year, the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee recently announced their markup schedule for the 2022 NDAA, with the U.S. Senate following in the fall. Continuing to build on the success last year, there are several bills to watch that have the potential to make it across the finish line this year.

Military Moms Matter Act

The Military Moms Matter Act (H.R.3047) is led by Air Force veteran and Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Representative Stephanie Bice (R-OK). The legislation would provide several supports for service members, including tailored provisions specifically designed to address the unique challenges of moms in the armed forces. These provisions include:

• Expansion of postpartum depression and anxiety screening for new moms

• Expansion of military treatment facilities that offer pelvic health physical therapists, pelvic health rehabilitation services, and physical therapy referrals

• Expansion of the pilot program that pairs a newborn’s check-up with the mom’s postpartum follow up appointment

• Codify in regulations that new moms do not have to meet their physical fitness test for 12 months postpartum

• Increase maternity and paternity leave to 12 weeks for primary and secondary caregivers

• Separate 6 weeks of convalescent leave from the 12 weeks of maternity and paternity leave

Protecting Moms Who Served Act

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act (H.R.958/S.796) led by Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) seeks to eliminate maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities among veterans.

Specifically, the bill would invest in maternity care coordination at VA facilities to enhance coordination between VA facilities and non-VA facilities; integrate community resources to address social determinants of health; identify and screen for behavioral health risk factors in the prenatal and postpartum periods; and offer childbirth preparation classes, parenting classes, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, lactation classes, and breast pumps.

The bill also includes a comprehensive study on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among women veterans. The study will include recommendations to improve maternal health data collection and reduce adverse maternal health outcomes for women veterans.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives this spring and is awaiting consideration in the U.S. Senate. The bill is one of 12 bills within the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act led by Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Alma Adams (D-NC), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus.

Delivering Optimally Urgent Labor Access (DOULA) for Veterans Affairs Act of 2021

The DOULA for VA Act led by Representatives Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Madeline Dean (D-PA), and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR) would establish a pilot program to deliver veterans with doula support services and measure the impact these services have on pregnant veterans’ childbirth, mental health, and infant care outcomes. The legislation builds off the TRICARE Coverage for Doula Support Act that passed last Congress within the NDAA. The TRICARE bill implements a five-year pilot program to cover doula services for active-duty women.

To ensure women receive the maternal health care services and support they need, the DOULA for VA Act would guarantee these services even when a woman transitions out of service.

The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act negotiations kick off on July 28 in the U.S. House of Representatives and will proceed into the fall.