Idaho Statutes Title 39. Health and Safety § 39-9601. Legislative findings

(1) According to the world health organization, maternal mortality rates worldwide dropped 44% between 1990 and 2015, but increased in the United States;

(2) The institute for health metrics and evaluation at the university of Washington found the United States has a maternal death rate of 26.4 per 100,000 live births, compared to other countries such as the United Kingdom (9.2), Germany (9), France (7.8), Canada (7.3), Spain (5.6), Italy (4.2), and Finland (3.8);

(3) In 2018, Idaho ranked thirty-first out of fifty states in rates of maternal mortality, according to the centers for disease control and prevention.  Per Idaho vital statistics, Idaho's maternal death rate in 2017 was 27.1 deaths per 100,000 live births;

(4) Maternal deaths are a serious public health concern and have a tremendous family and societal impact;

(5) No statewide process currently exists for the confidential identification, investigation, or dissemination of findings regarding maternal deaths;  and

(6) The state has a public health interest in the establishment of a process for review of maternal deaths in order to develop strategies for the prevention of maternal deaths.