Grassley, Merkley, Hinson, Colleagues Highlight Need for Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness

Grassley, Merkley, Hinson, Colleagues Highlight Need for Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness

WASHINGTON - Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) joined Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) and Alma Adams (D-N.C.) to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral resolution recognizing September 19, 2025, as National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day. With at least 25 percent of stillbirths being potentially preventable, this resolution stresses the importance of advancing evidence-based stillbirth prevention efforts in the United States.

"Each year, 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States, bringing devastation to parents and families. We can and must do more to save babies' lives and improve pre-natal care. Our resolution raises awareness of stillbirths and emphasizes how federal resources can empower the medical communities' work on evidence-based practices to prevent these tragedies," Grassley said.

"A single stillbirth is one too many, and we must do more to reduce the alarming rate of stillbirth, which devastates families and happens at a higher rate to Black, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Alaska Native women," Merkley said. "Getting my Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act signed into law was an important first step; and on this National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day, we recommit to doing everything we can to end this dire public health crisis, so no family has to experience the trauma of stillbirth."

"Improving prenatal education and access to maternal care-especially in rural areas where women may travel over an hour to see a provider-is critical to protecting babies and reducing maternal deaths. Passing my Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Act last year was a major step, but more must be done to support expecting moms and prevent stillbirths. I'm proud to reintroduce this resolution recognizing September 19th as National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day and will continue working across the aisle to end the tragedy of stillbirth," Hinson said.

Additional cosponsors include Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angus King (I-Maine), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Background:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 175 U.S. births tragically results in a stillbirth-accounting for more than 21,000 stillbirths a year, and more stillbirths annually than the number of babies who pass away during their first year of life. In the last two decades, the stillbirth rate in the United States declined by a negligible 0.4 percent. Notably, Iowa has defied national trends due to grassroots education initiatives: within a 10-year span ending in 2018, stillbirths in the state declined by over 30 percent.

Last year, the bipartisan Grassley-Merkley Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act was signed into law to help save the lives of mothers and babies across America.

Grassley also marked National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day in a speech on the Senate floor.

The full text of the resolution can be found by clicking HERE.

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