Stillbirth Legislation Needs Your Help

Each year more than 25,000 babies in the United States are stillborn. More than 50 percent of these deaths occur in the last trimester of pregnancy and 15 percent occur during labor and delivery. Due to a lack of autopsy/investigation and inconsistencies in diagnosing these, more than 50 percent of all stillbirths remain unexplained.

Representative Peter King from New York has introduced a bill (H.R. 5979) to raise awareness about stillbirth that seeks to standardize the definition of stillbirth, and the method in which stillbirth data is collected, so there can be a national repository for stillbirth data with which to conduct comprehensive research efforts.

The bill also authorizes a campaign to increase public awareness of good prenatal care practices that may decrease the risk of stillbirth, including monitoring movements during the last trimester. 

The compelling testimony provided by parents at First Candle's 2007 Advocacy Day-on-the Hill is what prompted Representative King to introduce this important bill! 

Now we need your help! First Candle is asking that you write a letter to your Representative asking them to co-sponsor this bill. The more co-sponsors the bill has, the more likely it is to pass. Please note, this is for the House of Representatives only.  Do not contact your Senators at this time.

If you do not know who your Representative is, or if you do not have contact information, you can find that information at https://forms.house.gov/ by putting in your 9-digit zip code (if you do not know your 4 digit extension, you can get it at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp.) You will then be able link directly to your Representative%u2019s website. There you will find all the information you need, as well as the ability to email directly to their office.

Each year more than 25,000 babies in the United States are stillborn. More than 50 percent of these deaths occur in the last trimester of pregnancy and 15 percent occur during labor and delivery. Due to a lack of autopsy/investigation and inconsistencies in diagnosing these, more than 50 percent of all stillbirths remain unexplained.

Representative Peter King from New York has introduced a bill (H.R. 5979) to raise awareness about stillbirth that seeks to standardize the definition of stillbirth, and the method in which stillbirth data is collected, so there can be a national repository for stillbirth data with which to conduct comprehensive research efforts.

The bill also authorizes a campaign to increase public awareness of good prenatal care practices that may decrease the risk of stillbirth, including monitoring movements during the last trimester. 

The compelling testimony provided by parents at First Candle's 2007 Advocacy Day-on-the Hill is what prompted Representative King to introduce this important bill! 

Now we need your help! First Candle is asking that you write a letter to your Representative asking them to co-sponsor this bill. The more co-sponsors the bill has, the more likely it is to pass. Please note, this is for the House of Representatives only.  Do not contact your Senators at this time.

If you do not know who your Representative is, or if you do not have contact information, you can find that information at https://forms.house.gov/ by putting in your 9-digit zip code (if you do not know your 4 digit extension, you can get it at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp.) You will then be able link directly to your Representative%u2019s website. There you will find all the information you need, as well as the ability to email directly to their office.

We, the undersigned, are writing to ask you to co-sponsor legislation that would help the CDC and researchers better determine the risk factors associated with stillbirth and convey those risk factors to expectant parents.

 House of Representative Bill 5979, the Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act of 2008, was introduced by Representative Peter King of New York in an effort to address the lack of standardized data collection nationally with regard to stillbirth.

A PDF file of the full text of the Bill can be accessed for reading and for printing a hard copy at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001tGSAUrOHQNEXSnlnsyZwYRdQoOn0VllzfxwR-gF2PqndqQWsVJBc6lemJrBbJTTo_cPe7JDcT92ASbBiZzSSrQRwxBfzm9Mh25ewUqia_-N6ateD2M_K9_GndbHruyXVs6yKigh_SVPYO7aEihwX5KJf_gzVZMSovCaMMIAJwZM= .

Each year more than 25,000 babies in the United States are stillborn. More than 50 percent of these deaths occur in the last trimester of pregnancy and 15 percent occur during labor and delivery. Due to a lack of autopsy/investigation and inconsistencies in diagnosing these, more than 50 percent 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. 5979 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.

Thank you so much for your consideration of my request.