Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

#PAILAwarenessMonth #NeverBeStill #StarLegacyFoundation #1In175 #1In4

CLICK HERE to raise awareness by changing your profile frame on social media platforms to our Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Profile Frame.

• A stillbirth is the death of a baby before the moment of birth.  In most states in the US, babies who die before 20 weeks of gestation are classified as miscarriages and babies who die at 20 weeks gestation or later are classified as stillbirths.
• In the United States, nearly 21,000 babies are stillborn every year. 
• Worldwide, there are more than 2.6 million stillbirths every year.
• One out of every 175 deliveries ends in stillbirth.
• Black and Native American families experience stillbirth at rates twice the rate for other families.
• The stillbirth rate for women in their 40s is 2-3 times the rate for women in their 20s and 30s.
• 1 in 6 women will be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a stillbirth.
• It is estimated that 25% of all stillbirths in the US are preventable today and 47% of all stillbirths in the US at 37+ weeks are preventable today.
• There are more stillbirths every year than deaths from prematurity and SUID/SIDS combined.

CLICK HERE for more information.

• Read our resources for How Friends & Family Can Help and order free brochures from Our Store.
• Invite parents of a stillborn baby to create a free Star or Memorial Page on our website.
• Ask your town to proclaim October 15th Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day – Contact Us for a sample proclamation and request letter.
• Make sure your local hospital/doctors (and anyone else in your community who interacts with expectant mothers!) are familiar with our resources for families and providers. Our Parenting in Pregnancy Guide to Healthy Pregnancy and Free Brochures about grief and after loss care are available in English & Spanish.
• Perform an Act of Kindness in memory of baby gone too soon (full page printable cards HERE).
• Send a letter to your elected officials urging them to support legislation and policies designed to prevent stillbirth and other poor outcomes and provide improved support for families – 
  Contact Us for a sample letter to get you started.
• Share our #NeverBeStill posts on social media.

The Pregnancy Research Project is a research study bringing together patients and researchers to advance knowledge and discover preventions and treatments for poor pregnancy outcomes.

Giving the gift of data has the potential to save thousands of lives.  Please consider participating in the Pregnancy Research Project.

You are eligible to participate if:

• You are currently at least 18 years of age or older.
• You have delivered a baby within the last five (5) years.
• You are currently pregnant at 12 weeks gestation or more.
• You have had a stillbirth (pregnancy loss at or after 20 weeks gestation) at any time in the past.

For example: If you had a live birth in 2021, a stillbirth in 2022 and are currently pregnant, you can participate 3 times. 

Participate here.

While a Federal Proclamation was achieved in 1988 to establish October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, you can work with your city or state officials to obtain a local proclamation. Sometimes they can be permanent and other times they are for one year only and need to be re-established. Be sure to check with your local officials offices.

CLICK HERE to view our full proclamation toolkit.

In October, and always, we honor all babies amongst the stars with their name and picture (optional), including those memorialized on our website as Our Stars. You can also create a free memorial page in their honor.  Please help us remember these beloved babies by reading their stories.