Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026”.
Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) to authorize research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Research on the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families
Authorization—
Clarification of eligible award recipients— Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–22) is amended by striking “may award grants” and inserting “may award grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations”.
by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (e), respectively; and
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
“(b) Research
“(1) In general—The Secretary shall conduct research, or award grants or other support to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations for research, on—
“(A) how traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder impact short- and long-term maternal mental health;
“(B) the impacts of traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder on mothers, infants, and families; and
“(C) the relationship between severe maternal morbidity and traumatic birth experiences.
“(2) Disaggregation of data—The Secretary shall disaggregate the findings of the research conducted or supported pursuant to paragraph (1) by race and ethnicity.”
Conforming changes— Subsection (c) of section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–22), as redesignated by subsection (a), is further amended—
in the subsection heading, by striking “Integrated Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Women” and inserting “Eligibility and terms”;
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “a grant under subsection (a)” and inserting “an award under subsection (a) or (b)”; and
by striking “(as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act)”;
in paragraph (2)(A)—
by striking “A grant awarded under subsection (a)” and inserting “An award under subsection (a) or (b)”; and
by striking “a grantee under subsection (a)” and inserting “an awardee under subsection (a) or (b)”;
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking “awarding grants under subsection (a)” and inserting “making awards under subsection (a) or (b)”; and
in paragraph (2)(C), by striking “grantees” and inserting “awardees”.
Definition— Section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–22) is further amended by inserting after subsection (c) (as so redesignated) the following new subsection:
“(d) Definition—In this section, the terms State, Indian Tribe, and Tribal organization have the meanings given to those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.”
Funding— Subsection (e) of section 330P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–22), as redesignated by subsection (a), is further amended—
by striking “There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section” and inserting the following:
“(1) Integrated services—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (a)”
by adding at the end the following:
“(2) Research—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (b) $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”
Sec. 3 Pilot project for research on the impacts of midwife-driven care models on traumatic birth experiences and maternal mental health outcomes
Grants— The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out a pilot program consisting of awarding grants for research on the extent and mechanisms through which midwife-driven care models, relative to medical care models, impact—
traumatic birth experiences; and
maternal mental health outcomes.
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Sec. 4 Reports to Congress
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress an interim report not later than the end of fiscal year 2028, and a final report not later than the end of fiscal year 2030, on each of—
the research conducted or supported pursuant to section 330P(b) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2; and
the pilot project conducted pursuant to section 3.