In the United States, approximately one in 173 babies is stillborn each year. In Utah, that is nearly one a day. Stillbirth is closely related to other complications of pregnancy, including newborn death, prematurity, and low birth weight. But far less is known about stillbirth.
There are many costs associated with a stillbirth. On top of the trauma of the death, families grapple with grief and psychological stress, unexpected financial costs, legal concerns, societal blame, or reduced income due to missed work.
But there is hope…
The Utah Stillbirth Center of Excellence envisions a world with no preventable stillbirths and respectful care for all who suffer this tragedy. Our mission is to collaborate with other national and global leaders in the fight to end preventable stillbirths by achieving the following goals within the next decade:
- Cut the US stillbirth rate in half
- Cut racial disparities in US stillbirth rates in half
- Double the percent of affected families in the US receiving bereavement support
- Normalize the provision of autopsies after stillbirth to identify the cause or causes of death
- Establish the US as a global leader in stillbirth prevention, support, and research, contributing to significant improvements in both low-income and high-income settings worldwide
Your support helps us to build on our history of achievement and compassion.
For more than 40 years, the University of Utah has been home to the most productive stillbirth research program in the country, with one of the few clinical programs dedicated to pregnancy loss in the US. We are proud of our model of collaboration between parent advocates, clinicians, and researchers.
Your support will help us work to address every aspect of stillbirth prevention and support:
- Clinical care for families after stillbirth and other types of pregnancy loss
- Bereavement support for families and their health care providers
- Education on stillbirth prevention and excellence in care
- Advocacy through the increased awareness of stillbirth and the importance of research into causes and cures
- Research on all aspects of stillbirth causes and risk factors, including basic biology, translational studies, and implementation science
- Equity by providing care for the most vulnerable among us
