Amniotic Fluid Embolism Awareness Day

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, education and awareness about amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is integral to decreasing our maternal mortality rate in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, AFE is a rare condition with an estimated two to eight cases for every 100,000 births; and

WHEREAS, an 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, the maternal mortality rate in Virginia according to the most recent 2020 data was 86.6 deaths per 100,000 cases; and

WHEREAS, according to the Center for Disease Control, the national maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019, the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy nations; and

WHEREAS, awareness, data collection, and research of AFE will promote an understanding of the disorder, expand the search for an effective treatment, and accelerate the increased number of lives saved; and

WHEREAS, AFE Awareness Day provides an opportunity for the citizens of Virginia to join in remembering those lost, encouraging those who have survived, and supporting the nonprofit organizations that continue to raise awareness, education, and research;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize March 27, 2024, as AMNIOTIC FLUID EMBOLISM AWARENESS DAY in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations