The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, which was signed into law by President Biden last week, is a bipartisan bill that will allocate federal funds towards research and prevention efforts.
The goal of the new law is to reduce the shockingly high rate of stillbirths and maternal mortality in the United States. Stillbirths are a devastating loss for families, and the law is a step forward in the fight to prevent them.
“Maternal health issues, including stillbirth pregnancy loss, are deeply personal realities for far too many Rhode Island women — especially for Black women. It’s more important than ever that we find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to bolster reproductive health care for women,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a cosponsor of the bill. “This new law will help raise the standard of prenatal health care so that more women and families can thrive.”
The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act increases federal support for stillbirth prevention activities and research. This funding will help to improve prenatal care, and reduce the risk of stillbirth for women across the country.
The United States has one of the highest stillbirth rates in the developed world. In 2021, there were nearly 21,000 stillbirths every year, which is more than the number of babies who die during their first year of life. The stillbirth rate in the United States has only declined by 0.4% in the past two decades.
The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act is a significant step forward in the fight against stillbirths. The law invests in research and prevention efforts, and it is hoped that this will lead to a reduction in the number of stillbirths and maternal deaths in the United States.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
It’s refreshing to know that Senator Whitehouse, a statesman (vs politician)
is making efforts to help in the underserved population of all families.