Hagan, DeLauro Introduce Legislation to Combat Birth Defects

Press Release

Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT) today introduced legislation to combat birth defects, the leading cause of death among American infants. The legislation establishes a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and public awareness program.

"Many birth defects can be prevented if we simply give women the information they need," said Hagan, a member of the committee with jurisdiction over health care. "This bill will give women more resources - and the result will be healthier babies. I am committed to working with my colleagues across the aisle to pass this legislation, which will help save lives."

Currently, the federal government provides no funding for pregnancy risk information services, leading more than half of these programs to close. Each year 120,000 babies are born with birth defects, and nearly 6,000 die from them.

To combat this trend, this legislation will authorize grant funding for critical information services and help women get answers about drug safety, chemical exposures, and other pregnancy risks. The Senate bill is cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (OH), Mary Landrieu (LA) and Kent Conrad (ND).

"Research has shown that up to half of pregnant women are not aware of the potential risks of medications they may be taking- and the programs that provide this information to individuals and their health care providers are becoming scarcer," said Rep. DeLauro. "Expectant and breast-feeding mothers should be able to have access to the information they need to keep their children safe. This legislation will help to ensure that they will be able to obtain important facts about the risks of medication, illnesses and other potential dangers during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Our children's wellbeing is a critical issue, and simply providing information such as this will help to keep them safe."

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