Proposed Perinatal and Postpartum Education Act to Support Pennsylvania Mothers

In this issue of KingSpry’s heARTbeat blog, Adoption and ART Practice Chair, Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Esq., reviews the proposed Perinatal and Postpartum Education Act and details how it will support women in Pennsylvania.

Proposal

House Bill No. 2127 (“HB 2127”) was proposed by Representative Elizabeth Fiedler.  In her memorandum, Representative Fiedler shares that many women experience postpartum depression, yet generations of women have been overlooked due to insufficient screening and care.

The Perinatal and Postpartum Education Act

If passed, HB 2127 will establish the Perinatal and Postpartum Education Act (the “Act”).  The Act would permit a hospital, birth center, physician, nurse, or midwife, that provides prenatal care to a pregnant patient during gestation, stillbirth, delivery of an infant or postpartum to:

1. Provide the patient with a fact sheet that includes common symptoms of the medical conditions of perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorder (“PMAD”), which is to be created by the Department of Health of the Commonwealth;
2. Provide the patient with a resource list that includes the names, addresses and telephone numbers of professional organizations that provide pregnancy counseling and assistance to parents, which is to be created by the Department of Health; and
3. Provide the above-listed information to any other individuals who accompany the patient at a well-baby visit, subject to the patient’s consent, and any other individuals designated by the patient.

The Department of Health

Under the Act, the Department of Heath of the Commonwealth will be required to create, publish, and update the aforementioned fact sheet and resource list.  The Department will also be required to establish a public awareness campaign to inform the general public about PMAD.

Effective Date

On June 10, 2024, HB 2127 was unanimously passed by the state House of Representatives.  Upon passage by the state Senate, the Act will take effect in 240 days.

Individuals interested in supporting the Act should contact their state and local representatives for more information.

If you have questions regarding ART, KingSpry’s ART Law Group Chair, Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Esq., is prepared to assist you. Gasienica-Kozak is a fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a member of SEEDS, a promoter for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, and a committee member of the American Bar Association’s Family and ART Law sections.