Nearly 21,000 babies are stillborn each year in the U.S. Yet, it’s estimated that one in four stillbirths could have been prevented. This is incredibly alarming and unacceptable.
That’s why I’m leading bipartisan legislation to invest in research and preventative measures to improve prenatal health. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act will increase funding for stillbirth research and prevention.
This simple bill can help save the lives of thousands of babies and prevent parents from experiencing the agonizing pain of losing a child. As the father of six children, I know there is nothing more important than a healthy baby in the life of a parent.
The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act has been endorsed by numerous maternal and infant health support organizations. Here’s what a few supporters have said about the bill’s importance:
- “It is imperative that we understand the specific causes of stillbirth so that clinicians are able to develop appropriate assessments and interventions. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act will make it possible to conduct more research and attain better quality data…”—American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- “This legislation would strengthen and enhance the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, which provides critical support to mothers and infants. To save more babies, we must focus our attention on strong and impactful prevention programs that will be implemented through this legislation…” — March of Dimes
Bottom line: many of these deaths are preventable, and we must work together to improve prenatal care in this country.