A bill was introduced on 1/14/2009. H.R. 521 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdplZv:@@@L&summ2=m&/bss/111search.html This bill is “to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the national collection of data on stillbirth in a standardized manner, and for other purposes.”
Currently there are more than 25,000 stillbirths a year in the United States this is 10 times greater than the amounts of SIDS deaths, however research up to this point has been limited. Due to a lack of autopsy/investigation and inconsistencies in diagnosing these deaths, more than 50% of all stillbirths remain unexplained.
Currently there are more than 25,000 stillbirths a year in the United States this is 10 times greater than the amounts of SIDS deaths, however research up to this point has been limited. Due to a lack of autopsy/investigation and inconsistencies in diagnosing these deaths, more than 50% of all stillbirths remain unexplained.
With standardized investigation and reporting of these deaths, researchers would be better able to determine the risk factors. H.R. 521 would both standardize the definition of stillbirth and the method in which data is collected, in order to create a national repository of stillbirth data to assist researchers in conducting comprehensive studies in to the causes of, and possible preventive strategies for, stillbirth. The bill also authorizes a public awareness campaign promoting good prenatal practices, including monitoring movements during the last trimester of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of stillbirth.
This is an extremely important bill me since I lost my daughter, Brianna Elizabeth to stillbirth on September 8, 2008. It was completely unexpected at 38 weeks after a normal pregnancy. The autopsy came back inconclusive stating that it was possibly a cord accident or a virus. This has been a devastating event in our lives. On September 3, 2008 Brianna had a heart rate of 150 and when I went to the hospital on the 6th due to not feeling her move she was gone. I now have a few pictures, foot prints and memories of the hours we got to spend with her letting her know how much we love her. No mother should come home from the hospital with a box of mementoes instead of a baby. No mother should give birth and have the hospital room be complete quiet. No family should have an empty crib awaiting a child that will never be home. I pray every day that no one will ever have to feel that pain that myself, my husband and our 6 year old son has gone through with this loss.
I will be traveling to Washington, DC to a Symposium on SIDS and Stillbirth through First Candle (www.firstcandle.org) March 23-25. The symposium will conclude with visits to Capitol Hill to encourage our nation’s lawmakers to support critical legislation and programming that will help us reach our goal of a future where all babies survive and thrive.
