Visit us: www.stopstillbirthASAP.org
Join ASAP! ASAP – Action for Stillbirth Awareness and Prevention Coalition, Register and show your support! January 7th, 2013
ASAP is a coalition being developed to bring together individuals, medical professionals, associations and others interested in stillbirth to support the creation of a unified, focused national public awareness and education campaign.
In the United States alone, nearly 26,000 babies are stillborn each year. Their parents’ hopes and dreams for their family are shattered, often times without warning or explanation. It is time that this “stillbirth epidemic” is recognized and addressed. Your show of support will provide compelling evidence to policy makers, government agencies and other funders that a comprehensive, multi-year awareness campaign is long overdue. Please show your support by registering and answering a few questions. Background
Each year in the United States nearly 26,000 babies are stillborn, Most of these babies are of viable gestational age and for many the cause is never known. Stillbirth risk factors, causes and potential preventive strategies have not been studied until rather recently. Many, including some health care providers, have commonly assumed that stillbirth can’t be predicted or avoided. However, there are a number of things that can be done to reduce the risk and we are learning more each year. Awareness and education for both the pregnant mothers and health care providers is critical in both prevention and bereavement support. Up until this time, many well-meaning, well- educated parent advocacy organizations have launched independent efforts to bring attention to the issues. They have designed educational brochures, visited physician offices, launched websites, helped author legislation, demanded certificates recognizing the births, and pleaded for research and attention from federal agencies that embrace maternal and infant health issues. But this fragmented approach to stillbirth has been inefficient and often ineffective. We believe that it is time for change…. On the heels of the 2012 International Conference on Stillbirth, SIDS and Infant Survival, the publication of the Lancet series on Stillbirth, and the 2011 International Stillbirth Summit, parents and their families are adamant that attention be given to “the stillbirth epidemic”. The time has come for a comprehensive, multi-year national campaign for stillbirth awareness and education, spearheaded by a coalition of organizations and individuals. Key goals of the campaign will be to:
1) Widely disseminate currently recognized stillbirth risk reduction messaging targeting pregnant and potentially pregnant women with agreement on unified messaging
2) Stimulate additional research and opportunities to understand and prevent stillbirth
3) Educate and engage healthcare providers in the process in order to increase their knowledge about stillbirth risk reduction and make them more sensitive to the issues facing parents
4) Advocate and educate policy makers regarding stillbirth when potential legislation or policies pertaining to stillbirth are being considered
Can we count on your support? By registering and answering a few short questions you will be honoring babies who never take their first breath and families who cannot adequately advocate for their baby on their own. By joining forces and working together, we can decrease the numbers of babies who die during pregnancy. Please pass this invitation on to others you know who would consider joining in this effort. We thank you for your consideration and concern. If you have questions, please contact us at: info@starlegacyfoundation or 952-715-7731. Interim Co-Chairs:
Shauna Lisback, Star Legacy Foundation
Marian Sokol, PhD, MPH, First Candle
Initial Organizing Groups:
1st Breath
Babies Remembered
First Candle
Star Legacy Foundation
