On Friday, July 12, 2024, President Biden signed the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act into law. The legislation clarifies that stillbirth prevention activities are an allowable use of Title V funds — the single largest funding mechanism to address maternal and child health issues in the United States. Further, the bill expands the scope of Title V’s Special Projects of Regional and National Significance Program to include research and activities to prevent stillbirth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 175 births in the U.S. result in stillbirth, with Black birthing people experiencing this tragedy at twice the rate of their white and Asian or Pacific Islander counterparts. This law calls for state health departments, researchers, community-based programs, and others to work together on stillbirth prevention and research efforts.
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) thanks Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-2) and Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for their leadership on this legislation.
AMCHP Resources on Stillbirth
- MCH Bridges Podcast episode titled “We Need to Start Talking About Stillbirth,” which highlights the lived experiences of families who have experienced a stillbirth.
- Keep up to date on stillbirth legislation in AMCHP’s MCH Bill Tracker.
AMCHP remains steadfast in its commitment to raising awareness about stillbirth and advocating on this issue.
Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with AMCHP’s Government Affairs Team: Sherie Lou Santos (ssantos@amchp.org) and Amani Echols (aechols@amchp.org).
