DeLauro, Burgess Celebrate Passage of Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) and Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) celebrated the passage late last night of the Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2010 in the House of Representatives.

The bill will help to provide critical information to pregnant and breast-feeding women and their health care providers about medications, chemical exposures, infections and other exposures linked to birth defects, adverse outcomes to a healthy pregnancy, or health risks to a breastfed infant through a grant program to revitalize the national network of pregnancy risk information services. Over 70,000 women per year seek information from these centers, yet over half of them have closed in the last ten fifteen years due to lack of funding. More than 90% of physicians that used these valuable services believed that they provided quality information that had a significant impact on clinical care. "Research has shown that a staggering half of all pregnant women are not counseled by their health providers about the potential risks of medications, illnesses, and other exposures. And more than half of the centers that could provide this critical information have closed in the last fifteen years. The Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act will help to change this troubling trend," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "This legislation will provide information and education to expectant and new mothers about how best to protect their children. Nothing is more important than the safety of our children."

"By passing this legislation, the House has taken an important step in ensuring expectant and new mothers have the information necessary, in consultation with their doctors, about how to ensure a safe and health pregnancy for both the woman and the child. During my 25-year medical practice as an obstetrician, I saw far too many expectant mothers and newborn babies affected negatively by a simple lack of education and information," said Congressman Burgess. "Many of the issues that arise from this lack of information are preventable, so we must make sure pregnant or breast-feeding women have access to services and education to ensure a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, and with House passage of this bill, we are one step closer to that goal."