Government : Hantz Speaks at Hinson Campaign Launch

Bethany Hantz

Bethany Hantz of Atkins was chosen to speak at the campaign launch of Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who is running for the Senate in the 2026 race. Hantz, a local midwife serving rural Iowa, addressed the advocacy Hinson has done for maternity care for women.

In July 2024, Hinson presented legislation concerning stillbirth prevention care. One in four pregnancies lost to stillbirths is preventable. Hinson said at the time of the passing of the bill, "In the last two decades, the stillbirth rate in the United States declined by a negligible 0.4 percent. In a report published by the World Health Organization comparing progress in improving stillbirth rates, the United States ranked 183 out of 195 countries."

In "The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act," it amended Title V, the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant of the Social Security Act, to clarify that stillbirth prevention activities and research are an allowable use of funds. Hinson said that the clarification would support stillbirth prevention activities, saving the lives of mothers and babies.

Hantz shared that women in 2025 should not be facing the maternal care crisis that we are. Currently, women in Iowa drive on average over an hour to receive maternity care. She said that women are also facing a shortage of labor and delivery units. At this time, Hantz said that we are in an "epidemic of stillbirths." 

Hinson introduced legislation to Congress that didn't pass. She introduced on behalf of women, the "Midwives for MOMS Act" co-sponsored with Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) New Jersey-12. Coleman said, "maternal mortality rates that are higher than in many developing nations. It is inexcusable that the United States, the wealthiest nation on Earth, has such a high maternal mortality rate. Millions of women live in a maternity care desert – hundreds of thousands of babies are born to women living in counties with no access to maternity care... we are also facing an increasing shortage of trained maternity care providers - and our underserved communities are hit the hardest. Ensuring every woman can access the care they need, during pregnancy, is a critical part of ending this crisis. The Midwives for MOMS Act will address many of the issues in the maternal care workforce and reduce maternity care costs for hardworking families.” 

Citing her 6 daughters, Hantz said of Hinson that "she is working to make the state better for my girls."