Skip to main content
Statement

U.S. Senate Should Quickly Pass the SHINE for Autumn Act to Reduce Stillbirths in the United States

March 31, 2022
Maternal Health, Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on introduction of the SHINE for Autumn Act in the U.S. Senate today:

“A stillbirth is one of the most shattering experiences a family can face and, tragically, it happens some 23,500 times per year in our country. That’s approximately 65 stillbirths every day. Despite that sobering statistic, the causes of stillbirths are under-studied, and its prevention is under-funded.

“Legislation that U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) introduced today would change that. The Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act aims to lower the U.S. stillbirth rate by improving data collection, providing resources to state and federal health departments, and raising awareness of the issue. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this important legislation in December. America’s moms want the U.S. Senate to pass it, too.”

 -Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising

 “No family should have to experience the terrible grief and pain that comes with losing a life through stillbirth, but too many families do – and as is the case with so many health issues in our country, there are appalling racial disparities. Black mothers experience stillbirths at double the rate that white women do.

 “That’s why we are so grateful to U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) for introducing and championing the SHINE for Autumn Act, named after Autumn Joy, who was stillborn in 2011. This legislation would provide grants to states for surveillance and data collection relating to stillbirth and stillbirth risk factors; create guidelines and educational materials; generate better data collection and sharing; and establish the Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program at the National Institutes of Health to increase stillbirth research. Its passage should be a priority for every U.S. Senator.”

-Statement of Tina Sherman, Senior Campaign Director for Maternal Justice, MomsRising

 

 

# # # #

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.