Research relating to preterm labor and delivery and the care, treatment, and outcomes of preterm and low birthweight infants

(a)

In general

Section 3(e) of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–4f(e)) is amended by striking fiscal years 2019 through 2023 and inserting fiscal years 2024 through 2028. (b)

Technical correction

Effective as if included in the enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–328), section 2 of such Act is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking Section 2 and inserting Section 3.

Study on preterm births

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall— (1)not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, convene a committee of experts in maternal health to study premature births in the United States; and (2)upon completion of the study under paragraph (1)— (A)approve by consensus a report on the results of such study; (B)include in such report— (i)an assessment of each of the topics listed in subsection (b); (ii)the analysis required by subsection (c); and (iii)the raw data used to develop such report; and (C)not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, transmit such report to— (i)the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (ii)the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (iii)the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. (b)

Assessment topics

The topics listed in this subsection are of each of the following: (1)The financial costs of premature birth to society, including— (A)an analysis of stays in neonatal intensive care units and the cost of such stays; (B)long-term costs of stays in such units to society and the family involved post-discharge; and (C)health care costs for families post-discharge from such units (such as medications, therapeutic services, co-pays visits and specialty equipment). (2)The factors that impact pre-term birth rates. (3)Opportunities for earlier detection of premature birth risk factors, including— (A)opportunities to improve maternal and infant health; and (B)opportunities for public health programs to provide support and resources for parents in-hospital, in non-hospital settings, and post-discharge. (c)

Analysis

The analysis required by this subsection is an analysis of— (1)targeted research strategies to develop effective drugs, treatments, or interventions to bring at-risk pregnancies to term; (2)State and other programs’ best practices with respect to reducing premature birth rates; and (3)precision medicine and preventative care approaches starting early in the life course (including during pregnancy) with a focus on behavioral and biological influences on premature birth, child health, and the trajectory of such approaches into adulthood.