WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Young Kim (R-CA) memorialized the stories of over 1,500 parents and loved ones impacted by the stillbirth public health crisis in the Congressional Record and urged Congress to pass their bipartisan Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act before years end. The bill was passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously and is awaiting House Leadership to bring it up for a vote.

“At least one out of every four stillbirths is estimated to be preventable, but there is still too much we do not know,” said Rep. Castor. “That’s why we need real change that will lead to measurable improvements, and the SHINE for Autumn Act will help achieve this goal. I urge my colleagues to make the SHINE for Autumn Act law before the end of the year to confront this crisis and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.”

“Despite alarming statistics, stillbirth is one of the most underfunded and underresearched public health issues today,” said Rep. Kim. “To address high stillbirth rates, we need to improve data collection, research, and awareness. The SHINE for Autumn Act would do just that. I hope for swift action from Congress to ensure healthier pregnancies and decrease stillbirth rates.”

Read their stories here.

The SHINE for Autumn Act aims to bridge gaps in stillbirth data, research, and education by allowing for:

• Grants to states to support data collection, assessment, and reporting on stillbirth and stillbirth risk factors;
• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with health care providers, to develop guidelines and educational materials for state departments of health and statistics on stillbirth data collection, data sharing, and educational materials on stillbirth;
• The incorporation of Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program at the NIH to fund research fellowships on stillbirth, including research and training on fetal autopsies and improved education, research, and data collection; and, 
• A report on the effectiveness of the Perinatal Pathology Fellowship Program after five years of enactment.