SHINE for Autumn Act

The Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act of 2022

Please help us to bring stillbirth out of the shadows once and for all! In honor of the tens of thousands of babies stillborn each year in the United States, we are asking you to urge your U.S. Senators to cosponsor the bipartisan Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act, S.3972. Please do your best to personalize the form email message. Believe it or not, your story has the power to encourage your Senators to support this vital piece of legislation. 

On March 31, 2022, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the SHINE for Autumn, legislation that aims to reduce the alarmingly high U.S. stillbirth rate. Named after Autumn Joy, a New Jersey baby who was stillborn in 2011, the bill would provide critical resources to states health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other related federal agencies to improve data collection and increase education and awareness of stillbirth in the United States. Companion legislation led by Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), and Kathy Castor (FL-14) overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in December of 2021.

According to the CDC, stillbirth is truly a public health crisis, with nearly 23,500 babies born still each year. To put that into perspective, more babies are stillborn in the U.S. every year than the number of deaths among children aged 0-14 years from preterm birth (3,679), SIDS (1,334), accidents (1,208), drownings (689), guns (305), fire (291), and flu (142) combined.

The harsh reality is, no pregnancy is immune. Stillbirths occur in all races, ethnicities, income levels, and to women of all ages. However, there are longstanding and persistent racial and ethnic disparities with Black and Native American families experiencing stillbirths at two times the rate of their White counterparts. So now more than ever, we owe it to the families of this great nation to work harder to protect them.

We can no longer ignore this issue. We have a responsibility to understand why stillbirths are happening and identify what can be done to combat this crisis. We can, and must, do better for our future moms and babies! 

Once you submit your personalized form email, you will be playing an itergral part in helping to elevate the sense of urgency needed to address this tragic maternal and family health crisis. We greatly appreciate your help in encouraging the Senate to pass this critical piece of stillbirth legislation and in helping us to SHINE a long-awaited spotlight on stillbirth! LET’S DO THIS!!

Click here to read Senator Booker’s Press Release and Click here to read Senator Rubio’s Press Release. Quotes in support of the SHINE for Autumn Act. To learn more about your state's stillbirth rate, click here.