WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the maternal mortality rate in the United States increased from 20.1 per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 23.8 per 100,000 live births in 2020; and
WHEREAS, the maternal mortality rate in North Carolina has experienced a 31 percent increase since 2016, and as of 2019, there are 27.6 deaths per 100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is thought to be the result of an allergic-like reaction to the amniotic fluid or fetal cells that have entered the circulatory system during childbirth, a normal part of the birth process; and
WHEREAS, AFE Foundation, working in collaboration with key stakeholders in North Carolina, provides meaningful education and life-saving skills to properly prepare healthcare providers to manage and treat patients, increase lives saved, and gain submissions to the AFE Registry and Biorepository; and
WHEREAS, awareness of AFE and commensurate data collection and research will promote understanding of this disorder, expanding the search for an effective treatment, and accelerating the increased number of lives saved;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March 27, 2023, as “AMNIOTIC FLUID EMBOLISM AWARENESS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.