Congress Backs Stillbirth Awareness Day, Pushing for Prevention Research Funding

This resolution is all about formally recognizing the scale of stillbirth in the U.S. and supporting efforts to stop it. Specifically, it designates September 19, 2025, as “National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day.” This isn’t just a symbolic gesture; it’s Congress acknowledging that over 21,000 families a year face this tragedy and that the stillbirth rate is higher than the top five causes of death for kids under 15 combined.

The Bigger Picture: Health Equity and Research

While this resolution doesn’t create new laws, it throws official support behind the recently passed Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2024. Why does that matter? Because that new Act is designed to unlock federal funding for research and prevention activities. This resolution celebrates that move, essentially telling federal agencies, “We need you to prioritize this.” For researchers and public health advocates, this means a clearer path to getting the resources needed to study why stillbirths happen and how to predict and prevent them.

Crucially, the resolution highlights the stark racial disparities in stillbirth rates. Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic families are disproportionately affected. By spotlighting this issue, the resolution reinforces the need for prevention efforts that are specifically targeted toward addressing these systemic inequities in maternal and infant health outcomes. This isn't just about general awareness; it’s about demanding equity in health care.

What This Means for Expecting Families

If you or someone you know is expecting, the main impact of this resolution is the promise of better information and more focused prevention efforts down the line. The resolution calls on the President and federal officials to use this awareness day to make sure every expecting family gets the information they need to understand how to lower their own risk. Think of it as a push for standardized, evidence-based education about risk factors and warning signs.

By officially backing this awareness day, the Senate is asking the President to issue a formal proclamation, encouraging nationwide programs focused on prevention. This is essentially Congress saying, “We support the research, we support the funding, and now we need a national conversation to get this information to the people who need it most.” It’s a supportive step aimed at transforming a heartbreaking private tragedy into a public health priority.