PRINTER'S NO. 3153
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 448
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, CONKLIN, HILL-EVANS, BURGOS, VENKAT,
GUENST, McNEILL, KHAN, SANCHEZ, POWELL, KINSEY, GIRAL, HOWARD
AND DONAHUE, MAY 21, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MAY 21, 2024
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the month of May 2024 as "Preeclampsia Awareness
2 Month" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Preeclampsia is a dangerous complication of
4 pregnancy that is associated with a rapid rise in blood pressure
5 that can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes,
6 including seizures, strokes and organ failure, among other
7 conditions; and
8 WHEREAS, Preeclampsia generally occurs after the 20th week of
9 pregnancy, but in rare cases, the condition can develop after
10 the mother gives birth, which demands immediate treatment; and
11 WHEREAS, In the most severe cases, preeclampsia can lead to
12 the death of the mother or the infant, in addition to premature
13 birth, which also presents significant, long-term health risks
14 for the mother and child; and
15 WHEREAS, Preeclampsia is estimated to occur in 5% to 7% of
16 all pregnancies and causes more than 70,000 maternal deaths and
17 500,000 fetal deaths worldwide each year; and
 1 WHEREAS, A pregnant individual is at a higher risk of
2 preeclampsia if the individual is undergoing a first pregnancy,
3 is over 40 years of age, has experienced a large interval since
4 her last pregnancy, has had preeclampsia during a previous
5 pregnancy or has a history of hypertension, chronic kidney
6 disease or diabetes, among other conditions; and
7 WHEREAS, HELLP syndrome is a variant of preeclampsia named
8 for its characteristics of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and
9 low platelet count; and
10 WHEREAS, The conditions of HELLP syndrome may develop without
11 any prior symptoms, are life-threatening to both the mother and
12 infant and may present lifelong health complications for the
13 mother; and
14 WHEREAS, If not properly recognized and managed, preeclampsia
15 can progress to eclampsia, which can cause pregnancy-related
16 seizures or comas, although eclampsia can develop without any
17 observed symptoms of preeclampsia; and
18 WHEREAS, Public education on signs and symptoms of
19 preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia can help those who
20 are pregnant recognize these threatening conditions and seek
21 appropriate medical care; and
22 WHEREAS, Prenatal education should incorporate recognition of
23 symptoms, including spikes in maternal blood pressure, sudden
24 swelling of face and hands, severe upper abdominal pain, blurred
25 vision, persistent headaches and breathlessness; and
26 WHEREAS, Many residents of this Commonwealth have joined with
27 the Preeclampsia Foundation to raise public awareness in keeping
28 with the goal of minimizing maternal and infant illness and
29 death due to preeclampsia; and
30 WHEREAS, In alignment with the Preeclampsia Foundation's 2024
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1 theme of "Predict, Prevent, Prevail," the House of
2 Representatives supports the Preeclampsia Foundation in its
3 efforts to provide support and improve health care practices for
4 individuals impacted by preeclampsia and related hypertensive
5 disorders of pregnancy; therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
7 month of May 2024 as "Preeclampsia Awareness Month" in
8 Pennsylvania.
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