Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 124


Introduced by Senator Fuller

(Coauthors: Senators Bates, Block, Gaines, and Leno)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Baker and Chávez)

March 30, 2016


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 124—Relative to Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 124, as introduced, Fuller. Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month.

This measure would designate April 2016 as Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) occurs
2when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs
3to migrate into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth; and

4WHEREAS, The federal Centers for Disease Control and
5Prevention recognizes CDH as a birth defect; and

6WHEREAS, The majority of CDH patients suffer from
7underdeveloped lungs or poor pulmonary function; and

8WHEREAS, Babies born with CDH endure extended hospital
9stays in intensive care with multiple surgeries; and

10WHEREAS, CDH patients often endure long-term
11complications, including pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary
12hypoplasia, asthma, gastrointestinal reflex, feeding disorders, and
13developmental delays; and

14WHEREAS, CDH survivors sometimes endure long-term
15mechanical ventilation dependency, skeletal malformations,
P2    1supplemental oxygen dependency, enteral and parenteral nutrition,
2and hypoxic brain injury; and

3WHEREAS, CDH is treated through mechanical ventilation, a
4heart and lung bypass, which is commonly known as extracorporeal
5membrane oxygenation (ECMO), machines, and surgical repair;
6and

7WHEREAS, Surgical repair is often not a permanent solution
8for CDH and can lead to reherniation and require additional
9surgery; and

10WHEREAS, CDH is diagnosed in utero in less than 50 percent
11of cases; and

12WHEREAS, Infants born with CDH have a high mortality rate,
13ranging from 20 to 60 percent, depending on the severity of the
14defect and interventions available at delivery; and

15WHEREAS, CDH has a rate of occurrence of 1 in every 3,800
16live births worldwide; and

17WHEREAS, CDH affects approximately 1,090 babies each year
18in the United States; and

19WHEREAS, CDH has affected more than 700,000 babies
20worldwide since 2000; and

21WHEREAS, CDH does not discriminate based on race, gender,
22or socioeconomic status; and

23WHEREAS, The cause of CDH is unknown; now, therefore,
24be it

25Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
26thereof concurring,
That the Legislature designates April 2016 as
27California Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month;
28and be it further

29Resolved, That the Legislature encourages that steps should be
30taken to: (1) raise awareness of and increase public knowledge
31about CDH; (2) inform all Californians about the dangers of CDH,
32especially those groups that may be disproportionately affected
33by CDH or that have lower survival rates; (3) disseminate
34information on the importance of quality neonatal care of CDH
35patients; (4) promote quality prenatal care and the use of
36ultrasounds to detect CDH in utero; and (5) support research
37funding of CDH to improve screening and treatment for CDH,
38discover the causes of CDH, and develop a cure for CDH; and be
39it further

P3    1Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the people of
2California, interest groups, and affected persons to promote
3awareness of CDH, take an active role in the fight against this
4devastating birth defect, and observe California Congenital
5Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month with appropriate
6ceremonies and activities; and be it further

7Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate provide copies of
8this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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