Passage of Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act has Potential to Save 6,000 Babies' Lives

President Biden recently signed the bipartisan Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES, July 18, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- President Biden has enacted the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2024, a bipartisan effort aimed at amending Title V of the Social Security Act to include stillbirth prevention. This update addresses a significant gap that has persisted since the inception of Title V nearly a century ago. The Title V Block Grant, which is pivotal in funding maternal and child health initiatives across the United States, will now incorporate language to tackle the pressing issue of stillbirths. This landmark legislation represents Congress's first dedicated response to the ongoing stillbirth crisis in American history.

Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) led the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act in the Senate, where it passed on unanimous consent June 11. The House approved this bill on May 15 in a vote of 408-3, where it was led by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) and Rep. Alma Adams (D-North Carolina).

Healthy Birth Day, Inc., the nonprofit organization that created the Count the Kicks stillbirth prevention program, is proud to be the primary stakeholder of The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, which was signed by President Biden on July 12, 2024.

"We believe this country has the potential to save up to 6,000 babies' lives every year," said Emily Price, Healthy Birth Day, Inc. CEO. "That is the ultimate goal with the passage of The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act — that all 50 states and U.S. territories use Title V dollars to focus on stillbirth prevention and raise awareness with proven, evidence-based programs like Count the Kicks."

Title V Block Grant funding reached over 93% of pregnant women in 2022, yet fewer than 20 state health departments are currently using a portion of these existing funds to address stillbirth. This leaves expectant parents in most U.S. states and territories more vulnerable to stillbirth.

“This is a huge victory. Making stillbirth prevention a national priority has the power to save babies and moms. In fact, we’re seeing ‘double saves’ already through Count the Kicks, where moms discovered their own health was at risk when they noticed a change in their baby’s normal movement pattern,” said Iowa Sen. Janet Petersen, co-founder of Healthy Birth Day, Inc. “Unfortunately, some states make stillbirth prevention a priority while other states ignore it. It’s absolutely crushing when parents realize their loss could have been prevented, but they were never told about their risk and how to prevent stillbirth. With this legislation, those days will soon be over.”

Stillbirth, which is defined as the loss of a pregnancy at 20 weeks or greater gestation, is a public health crisis in the U.S. Stillbirth happens to 1 in every 175 pregnancies in the U.S. according to the CDC. It is a tragedy that impacts more than 21,000 families every year, and a loss that stays with families for a lifetime. Racial disparities persist, and Black women are two times more likely to endure a stillbirth than their White counterparts. Recent reports and data suggest that further reduction in the incidence of stillbirth is possible, highlighting that at least 25% of stillbirths are potentially preventable.

The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act was endorsed by 50 maternal health organizations, including March of Dimes, ACOG, AMCHP, AWHONN, and SMFM. Full text of the Stillbirth Prevention Act is available at Congress.gov.

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About Healthy Birth Day, Inc.

Healthy Birth Day, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of stillbirth through programming, advocacy, and research. They are best known for the Count the Kicks stillbirth prevention program, which is credited with lowering the stillbirth rate in Iowa by more than 30% in the first 10 years (2008-2018). The free Count the Kicks app is a powerful stillbirth prevention tool to help expectant parents be more in tune with their bodies and their babies. They are the primary stakeholders of the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act (H.R. 4581) and a proud endorser of the SHINE for Autumn Act (H.R. 5012/S. 2657). Learn more at HealthyBirthDay.org and CountTheKicks.org.

Kimberly Isburg
Healthy Birth Day, Inc.
+1 515-494-5115
isburg.kimberly@healthybirthday.org